Force of the Future
by hotaru anne
Summary: Two years after the Mariameia reign of terror, some terrorists are attacking Relena's peace buildings scattered throughout the world and now the ex-Gundam pilots are reunited to stop them before they unleash their ultimate plan....*story finished!*
1. All Around the World

Yay! My first Gundam fic! Enjoy! ^^  
  
  
*All Around the World*  
~*Force of the Future*~  
  
In Bombay, India, where it was busy with the usual sounds of life down the streets, something was terribly wrong. It wasn't the greatest life, but at least you had a chance at living. The city was stabalizing with the world, but somehow, something had to happen.  
  
Cries of horror and death could be heard when a series of chain reactions blew off from each of the major govermental buildings circling the main streets. Ash and rubble flew in the air, frightening many and killing millions instantly by the remains.  
  
People didn't know what was going on, but it was a sad mistake.  
  
  
All was quiet in the building of the goverment in Earth in Luxemburg, the former Earth Sphere Alliance Military headquarters, when all they could hear was the rattling of the gunshots from various rifles. Preventers started running around, srcambling units to counterattack the rifles. Many Preventers were wounded by the fire bullets and many died.   
  
"What the hell is going on?" demanded one Preventer.  
  
At the ceasefire, many stretchers were sent out to recover the wounded and the dead. Unfortunately, the gunfire caused lots of wounded (and not to mention the dead) for the medical department to deal with.  
  
  
"This better be important, Miss Noin," Relena Peacecraft, otherwise known as Foreign Minister of Peace Relena Dorlian, said as she entered the briefing room. Although the Sanq Kingdom was dissolved and Lucrezia Noin was part of the Preventers now, Relena still called her Miss Noin. "I have a very busy schedule ahead..."  
  
"I think this will interest you a great deal," she responded crisply and dryly. She looked like she hadn't slept in ages and her voice reflected the weariness of the situation. "Sit down."  
  
It was more like an order than a request. Relena obliged.  
  
"I'm sure you've heard of the terrorist attacks going on," she said dryly, getting up. The Preventer seemed to be a little exhausted lately, her posture said it all. "Bombay, chain-reaction explosions in federal buildings. Luxemborg, gunfire breaksout at the federal building there. In New York City, the former United Nations building was bombed. In Tokyo, the Peace Building was attacked by some terrorists."  
  
"I was....unaware of that," she responded slowly. "But what does this have to do with me?"  
  
She swallowed hard, trying to keep herself from falling apart and dropping the thin patience she had left. "They have to do with you," she stated slowly, "because the fact that the targets of these so-called terrorists are hitting on the goverment buildings related to peace and your campaign."  
Relena sighed. "I was afraid of that."  
  
Noin sighed, rubbing her eyes hard. "It's nuts, really," she finally blurted out. "I mean, here I am running around to every single damn meeting you can think of for the past twenty four hours, filling my head with crazy conspiracies and here you are squirming at the idea that you might be late for a meeting? Screw the meeting! This is important, otherwise I wouldn't have called for you!" She sighed again, slamming her palm onto the table.   
Relena didn't say anything. She simply stared at Noin.  
  
"I'm sorry," the Preventer blurted out. "It's been rough---"  
  
"I understand. What do you want me to do?"  
  
Noin nodded. "I think this may be a job for all those particular five guys that you were fond of, especially that particular guy...."  
  
Relena blushed and nodded stiffly.  
  
  
"Chang Wufei is back on L-5, working with Sally Po on rebuilding the outer layers of the colony...."  
  
Outside the colony, a couple of people in space suits were repairing the outer layers of the colony. Wufei and Sally Po were drifting, carrying large scraps of metal from the carrier nearby to the open hole in the colony's side carefully.  
  
The scrap was heavy and when it floated slightly, Wufei lost grip.   
  
"Dammit, Po! Did you have to fidgit so much?" Wufei demanded hostily.  
  
Through the helmet, Sally Po glared at the young warrior. "Hey, it was you who was losing grip!"  
  
"Me?! I never lose grip. I am a martial artist."  
  
"Artist? As if! You can't even hold a sharpnel still if you could!"  
  
"Woman, don't start with me----"  
  
The two were arguing with such a heat that they were unaware that the other officers in suits were listening since the comm links were together. They only looked at each other and then the two with a bewildered look, shared a few silent thoughts before resuming their work.  
  
  
"...Quatre Reberba-Winner is back in his colony, working were his father left off...."  
  
In the colony, at the headquarters of the Winner Residence and Corporation, Quatre was sitting down where his father's grand desk was. He was now wearing business-like suits and had to grow up much faster than he had initially thought when he pilotted the Gundam Sandrock.   
  
Right now, he would rather fight a hundred mobile suits than sit in the big corporate chair and watch his life and career beaten to a fraction of an inch by his sisters, all of them, who were all yelling and demanding that he'd look into such and such matters.   
  
"Quatre, why haven't you looked through the reports yet?!"  
  
"Little brother, I'd really like it if you washed the dishes for a change---"  
  
"Quatre! Dammit, why the hell haven't you been at the meeting yesterday?"  
  
"Er, it would be nice to listen to me here..."  
  
The blonde Arabian sulked farther and farther down the big chair. He practically had enough on his mind, let alone having his sisters stretch his brain cells into nothingness. Frankly, he wished he didn't have to run the corporation, but after years of neglect, he had no choice.   
  
But right now, he felt like dozing off...  
  
He fell off the chair, crashed to the floor, silent.  
  
His sisters gathered around his fainted form. "Quatre!"  
  
  
"...Trowa Barton is currently residing in L-3, on vacation..."  
  
"Trowa, let me handle this!" Catherine Bloom cried, grabbing the picnic basket from a bewildered Trowa and huffed defiantly. "You are on vacation from the Preventers...why can't you just sit back and just enjoy it like any normal person would!!!!????!!!!"  
  
He blinked, startled for a moment. How could she be family anyhow? Despite the close resemblance and the love of the circus, she was somewhat different. She was certainly a lot louder than Trowa and certainly acting much like a big sister would be; a big bully was more like the term.  
  
He rolled his eyes as Catherince marched ahead.  
  
This was going to be a long day.......  
  
  
"...Duo Maxwell is back in L2 running a business with Hilde..."  
  
"Duuuuuuooooooooooo!" Hilde shouted from down the street in front of their apartment as Duo tried sneaking his way off. "Duuuuuuooooooo! You forgot the bag and the list! Where do you think you're going, Mister God of Death?! Get your sorry ass back here......Duuuuuuuooooooooo!"  
  
Duo started to run, trying to be released from Hilde's pitched voice which echoed down the entire street. How embaressing, having your girlfried yell after you about the groceries! Yet, in some psychotic sense, he secretly enjoyed it, having his own girlfriend yelling after him. For a brief moment, he had a fantasy, but then shook it off vigorously.  
  
I am not doing the groceries! he told himself firmly.   
  
He turned another corner from an intersection. Her voice had already died. He stopped and smiled triumphantly, leaning casually like the American classy guy he was. Ah, he had won yet again! It was the third time this week he got away with chores around the house, and he was feeling ultimately proud of himself. He started to stroll down the street, casually whistling, without a care in the world...  
  
A girl popped up in front of him, big eyes and short hair.  
  
"Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi......Hilde! Hahahahahaha!" Duo laughed nervouly, scratching his hair and a sweatdrop appearing. "What a pleasant suprise....."  
Hilde rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Duo! You left without this....." And so she began to spew about the grocery bags and the list and what he forgot. Duo looked like was going die immediately. As he began to leave, Hilde stopped him. "You're forgetting something," she teased.  
  
"A smack at the head?" Duo asked.  
  
She smiled and kissed him passionately.  
  
Well, life can't be all that bad...can it?  
  
  
"Where's Heero?" Relena asked.  
  
Noin swallowed dryly. "Well..." she began.  
  
Her eyes widened. "Heero? What's happened to him? Is he hurt?"  
  
She shook her head. "Actually, he's in the L1 colony, doing some computer researching for the Preventers," she replied with good cheer. "He's been pretty damn useful to the Preventers, making sure that no one is hacking the lines. Until recently, that is. He's been going nuts just like the rest of the gang back at the lab. Someone of some people have been hacking through our lines and stealing information from us."  
  
"I see," Relena said softly.   
  
Noin leaned forward on her desk. "You have to regroup them again and bring them to Earth. This is important, Miss Relena, extremely important. They might be our only hope of stopping this entire situation from escalating."  
"But, Miss Noin, shouldn't we negotiate first---?"  
  
"Relena, listen to yourself. We don't even know who these people are," she pointed out. "I think the former Gundam pilots will be able to track these radicals down. Yes, we will try talking to them, as much as we can till both sides turn blue with no compromise...and if things get rough out there, the Preventers will be here to enforce the law."  
  
  
~End of Chapter 


	2. The Strength of a Full Stomach

Here's the second chapter. Enjoy! ^^  
  
*The Strength of A Full Stomach*  
~*Force of the Future*~  
  
Location: L1 Colony  
  
Tap. Tap. Tap.  
  
Nothing appeared on the screen.   
  
Tap. Tap.   
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Heero Yuy slammed his fist on the table in fustration, jolting backwards quickly and resting his back too fast on the back of the chair for the legs gave out on him and he fell quickly to the floor as he had with his nasty fustration.  
  
He groaned, allowing himself to lie down for a couple of minutes. Wired with coffee and an unnerving suspicion, he wasn't able to sleep. In fact, he couldn't even remember the last time he did fall asleep, which made it a lot easier on him.   
  
He rolled over and got back up to his feet, his other hand grabbing the seat to pull it back up. On the way, he felt his back crack somewhere on his lower back. His hand was immediately examining his back. He winced; when was the last time he actually had a good work out?  
  
Heero propped himself back onto the chair, facing his ignorant computer with a blank thought. Ever since the end of Mariameia's reign of terror, Heero was reverted to a simple computer analyst working for the Preventers, just to back-log files and ensure that no one was doing anything nasty...something secretly nasty. No one had ever asked for anything major because he was looked down upon as a lowly youngster who was given a rear end.   
  
"Oh, look, there's that ex-Gundam kid, the one that caused all that havoc!"  
  
"Hey, there's the brat that tried destroying Oz..."  
  
"Ain't so tough now, huh, little punk?"  
  
Heero shook away the ghosts and focused on the computer. But his mind was wandering off into something he had no clue what it was about but he knew he couldn't work in such a condition. He got to his feet; since he was the only one working over the night, he decided to give himself a little break and wander off outside. If his mind can do that, couldn't his body do as well?  
  
He walked out of the complex, and into the light-filled streets of the colony, where rarely anyone was walking at this time of night. He suddenly had a pang of regret for leaving Earth; at least he knew the actual difference between night and day. Here, it was like being in the sun twenty four seven.   
  
He passed by a fountain, where, strange enough, one person sat, someone in a navy blue trench reading the newspaper a day too old. He ignored the person and sat at the other end of the fountain, contemplating, which was something he rarely did.   
  
He wondered how Relena was...he wondered how the other ex-pilots were. He wondered how it was like on Earth now, without the presense of guns or leos or any sort of militaristic presense or possession. It's like a dream, he realized shakily. Throughout human history, we have dreamed about a world without war, without violence, and once that he had achieved that ultimate goal, it feels like one hell of a dream...  
  
"It does, dosen't it?"  
  
Heero turned to see only that one person. Who said that?  
  
"One moment, you're living in a war-torn world, and the next, you're living in a peaceful paradise," the voice continued, sounding strangely familiar. "It does sound like a dream. It does feel like a dream. But believe it or not, it is a reality. A real one too. It takes time to accept, but in time, all will understand."   
  
Now Heero was irritated and stomped up to that one person dressed in blue, perplexed and visibly annoyed. He had no sleep, he had no luck and he sure as hell didn't have a single patient cell in his body for all the crap he was dealing with lately. "Excuse me, are you talking?" he asked, rather demanding and hoaresly from the sound of his voice.   
  
"Hello, Heero." The person pulled down the newspaper from their face to reveal a woman under a blue bonnet with long, blonde hair and striking blue eyes...  
  
"R-Relena?"  
  
"Why, Heero," she said, standing up to even the height as Heero tried through his raw exhaustion to hide the sensations that was running through his brain at the moment. He was looking at a tall, strangely fit and relaxed woman, different from the one he had encountered over and over before in the past. "I must say that's the first time you've stammered my name like that." She studied him closely. "Oh my God---Heero! When was the last time you fell asleep?"  
  
He brushed his hair back uneasily. "I-I don't know, two days ago?"  
  
Relena dropped her jaw. "Heero!" she croaked, something from her throat. "I don't believe it. I think you should go rest before I speak to you. We can have breakfast tomorrow and we can discuss it then---"  
  
He shook his head. "Negative on that," he replied. "I'm working night shift."  
"It ain't gonna help you track down those terrorists if you're all tired and raccoon-eyed," she countered sharply against Heero's stubborness. By now, she knew the way he thought and the way he acted, even after all those years. "It will make you lose focus and more careless. Heero, I seriously think that you should rest before you kill yourself."  
  
Heero considered this for a brief moment. He was extremely touched at Relena's concern, something he hadn't experienced in a long time. He was also tempted at her offer of rest, relaxation, to close his eyes from reality and slip into some solace...He nodded. "All right, Relena. I will go rest in my apartment."  
  
She nodded, pleased. "Good."  
  
"Tell me one thing," he said before she could officially be relieved.  
  
She looked up at him. "Yes?"  
  
"Why are you here? I haven't heard from you in years."  
  
Should I tell him now? she wondered, debating on the issue. Then again, he was weary and tired and needed some rest. "It's something realitvely important," she told him softly. "I don't think I would want worry yourself about it by telling you now. Go rest---we'll talk in the morning." She turned around and started walking away.  
  
Despite the weariness Heero was feeling, it did not stop his reflexes for he grabbed her arm fiercely, making her turn around in surprise. Before she could breathe a word, he demanded, "Tell me now otherwise I will worry until dawn tomorrow."  
  
She sighed heavily; she had no choice. Goodness knows what he would do to get it out of her..."Preventer Noin asked me to regroup the former Gundam pilots," she blurted out. "There's a major situation that I think you were already briefed on regarding the terrorists..."  
  
"Affirmative, I was briefed," he replied. "But there are some things you should know...can we talk someplace...private?"  
  
She nodded, understanding that the information that he was going to pass was confidental. She looked around; despite the innocent look of the square, there might be some hidden cameras or some hidden microphones hidden somewhere. Living with such paranoia was starting to resurrect from the past.  
  
"Yes. Come with me."  
  
Location: L2 Colony  
  
"Mmm...Duo Maxwell...what have you done this time?" Hilde asked seductively as she tasted some of his cuisine. Behind the counter, in the kitchen, was Duo, stir-frying something in a big wok with a spatula. He looked up to see Hilde moaning with pleasure from the food. "This is exquisite! Where did you learn to make this?"  
  
Duo winked. "Ssh," he told her conspiratorially. "Secret recipe."  
  
She smiled at him. "All right, then, be that way."  
  
Then, the door rang.   
  
Hilde got up from the table. "I'll get that," she called and before Duo could remark, Hilde had made her way through the living room to the front door, swaying gracefully like a candle in the wind. She turned the knob of the door and opened it, to reveal two men and one woman in Preventers uniform. Hilde swallowed hard. "M-May I help you?"  
  
The woman stepped forward, a head shorter than Hilde with wide eyes and cropped auburn hair worn down. She looked rather bulky to be in the uniform. "Yes, ma'am," she said promptly, right to the point. "We're looking for a Duo Maxwell...he is said to live here."  
  
Now Hilde was scared; was he in trouble?"Yes...may I ask why?"  
  
"He has been asked to come with us to Earth," she replied swiftly, "under the orders of Preventer Noin and Foreign Minister Dorlian. He is to come with us at once." She finished it with a little foot shuffle.  
  
Duo walked over to the door casually, smelling like the food he just conjured up. "Hilde, who are these people? Hilde?" he asked, looking at Hilde, who looked back with some fear in her eyes. "Hilde...what's wrong?" When he caught sight of the Preventers, he knew at once.  
  
"Mr. Maxwell," the auburn-haired Preventer said, "I am Preventer Erin Atropos from the division sent from Earth. I am under orders directly from Preventer Noin and Foreign Minister Dorlian to accompany you to Earth."  
  
"Why?" Duo demanded, suddenly on the defensive.  
  
Atropos blinked at his sudden demand. "Preventer Noin asks for an audience."  
Duo sighed. "I'll be right over." He then slammed the door on the Preventers and looked at Hilde, who was now trembling and babbling about where was he going and whether he was in trouble. He grabbed her arms firmly. "Listen to me, Hilde, I'm going to go check this out. I'm smelling trouble, and I don't like the stench. You just hang on, all right?"  
  
She nodded mutely.   
  
In a few moments, Duo returned with a rucksack slung on his back and walking casually to the door. "Mind you, Hilde," he warned, "I would like some leftovers from my cuisine tonight, alright?"  
  
She smilled slightly, relieved for a slight moment. "Alright."  
  
"Aishiteru."  
  
"Aishiteru, Duo-kun."  
  
Before she knew it, he was gone with the Preventers. Where he was going and what he was going to do, she did not know.  
  
  
~End of Chapter 


	3. Leave All and Follow Me...

Here's my next chapter...enjoy!!! ^^  
  
*Leave All and Follow Me...*  
~*Force of the Future*~  
  
Location: L3 Colony   
  
"Trowa?"  
  
Trowa opened one weary eye to see his sister's face in front of his, the pale light of his lampshade making her radiate softly, making out only some of her curved features. But he noticed something peculiar; fear. He never saw such fear in his sister's eyes since...  
  
He sat up in his bed. "What is it, Catherine?"  
  
She swallowed dryly. "Get dressed and get outside."  
  
"Why?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"Just do as I say, Trowa," she snapped, leaving him.  
  
What is this all about that's gotten Catherine so shook up? he wondered as he rolled off his cot and pulled on some trousers and a navy blue turtleneck and a vest since it was sort of chilly. His feet found his shoes and he left his room without checking his hair. Fine, of course.  
  
He spotted Catherine instantly, huddling in the chilly air. But that wasn't what got his attention; it was people with her. Brown and olive green uniform, complete and all. It could only mean one organization and when they come, the news isn't usually good.   
  
He walked instantly towards the group. "Catherine, what's going on?"  
  
She faced her brother for a brief moment, then said in a choked voice, "I'll leave you to talk to them." Then, she walked without making another word and left Trowa utterly confused.  
  
"Yes?" he asked the Preventers.   
  
A tall man, slightly taller than Trowa, lifted his ID. "I am Preventer Daniel Saphogorous," he said with a rich Greek accent. "I come directly from Headquarters on Earth under the orders from Preventer Noin to bring you in to see her."  
  
"May I ask why?" Trowa pressed, displaying no emotion.  
  
"There's a problem that needs your presence," he simply stated.  
  
Trowa nodded in reply. "Let me say goodbye to my sister, first."  
  
"We will wait for you under the bridge," Saphogorous complied, marching off with the rest of his men towards the bridge, leaving Trowa with his sister, who was moping about.  
  
"Catherine..."  
  
"No, Trowa! I won't hear it!" she bursted out loud. "Dammit, Trowa, I finally found you after all those years and now you're about to return to all that blood and war. Don't you want to live a normal life for once?"  
  
"I am."  
  
She snorted, waving her hands at him in utter speechlessness. "God, Trowa! Listen to yourself! You aren't a soldier anymore like before! You've lived two years without any problem, without any care towards the military since...since Mariameia! Don't start all over again! You aren't a Gundam pilot anymore! The war's over!" she finished in such tragedy.   
  
He remained cool.  
  
She was boiling.  
  
"They have a situation they need me to look into."  
  
"So?" It barely came out as a whisper.  
  
"I will come back, Catherine, I will," he blurted out.   
  
"When?" she demanded sharply.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
She sighed, sulking. "I suppose that'll do...but you come back here!"  
  
Trowa nodded slowly, and walked towards the bridge.  
  
  
Location: L1 Colony  
  
"Hmm, figures you would get the presidential suite," Heero murmured demurely as he entered Relena's hotel room. He folded his arms and looked around; not bad. He suddenly had a little desire; to one day actually sleep in a suite like Relena's. Interesting.  
  
Relena smiled shyly. "Well, it all comes with the job. Want anything?"  
  
"Coffee, if you have any."  
  
She nodded and got to the coffee in the kitchen-like area.  
  
Heero continued to sight-see his way. Glass windows, magnificent wallpaper, soft sofas and small and stylish tables. "Say," he said out loud, " are there any bugs?"  
  
"Hell no!" she cried in a gruesome response.   
  
He sighed. "I meant hearing bugs, not insects."  
  
She twisted her face in humiliation. She forgot how that felt like too. "Oh," she said, thinking, I must sound like a complete idiot. "Well, I had the entire suite scanned more than once since I arrived, to ensure that no one's trying to kidnap me again."  
  
Heero played with a rueful grin. "Don't want to be a damsel in distress ever again, I see."  
  
She scowled as she handed him some coffee. "After what happened with Mariameia? No way. I'd sooner die than become another damsel in distress ever again." She leaned back on the sofa and sipped some coffee. "So, what's all this info that you need to be said privately?"  
  
He leaned forward and lowered his voice remarkably low, placing the cup of coffee on the coffee table. "While I was scanning for any problems on the computer systems, I came across something peculiar in cyberspace," he explained. "I don't know what it is. I scanned it, but when I got close to an answer to waht it could be, it disappeared. Whatever it was, it sure is important to be loads of bytes in a system as complex as it was."  
  
"What do you think it could be?" she asked.  
  
He shrugged, making her wish she had a camera or something to take a photo of that moment. It was so cute! "I don't know," he said uncertainly. "A virus, perhaps. Or some new software. Whatever it is, it must've been surveillanced twenty-four seven otherwise it wouldn't had disappeared like that."  
  
"This is really strange," Relena agreed.   
  
Silence.  
  
"So," he said.  
  
"So," she said.   
  
Silence.   
  
"You should get some rest," she told him.   
  
"You should, too," he countered.   
  
They locked gazes.   
  
Relena couldn't help making a tiny squirm; she had forgotten how intensely blue his eyes were, how incredibly powerful his gaze was that she was lost in his own gaze. It was like he was looking into her soul, and it made her uncomfortable and at the same time, relieved in a strange way. Darn you, Heero, for making me feel so...vunerable, she thought.  
  
Heero found himself gazing into Relena's sparkling eyes longer than he intended. She kept lulling him back as he desperately tried to break the gaze, but it only made the bond stronger. He had forgotten how innocent, how dazzling her eyes were, how...captivating they were. He found himself sinking more and more into an emotion he still could not describe until today. Darn you, Relena, for making me so...trapped, he thought.  
  
Make a choice, Relena, either keep looking or break away...  
  
...Make a choice, Heero, either keep looking or turn away...  
  
Silence.   
  
Time seemed to have gone by too slowly...  
  
They did not turn away from each other's gaze.  
  
Location: L4 Colony  
  
"Where---*yawn*---are you taking---*yawn*---me?" Quatre asked sleepily as he was roused off from bed by three of his sisters. He pulled on a silky beige robe over his pajamas and stumbled into his slippers before following his sisters towards the door.  
  
"Come, little brother."  
  
"Hurry up, slowpoke!"  
  
"Ouch! Quatre!"  
  
Quatre wasn't fully away still as he scratched his disheveled hair. "I---what---is going on---*yawn*---around here?" he mumbled sleepily, his eyes barely open. "Am I in Tokyo yet, Daddy?"  
  
One of his sisters rolled her eyes. "Now he's sleep-talking!"  
  
"Maybe we should elbow him and see what he does," one suggested.  
  
The first sister glared at her. "No one will do no such thing!---Ah! Here we are! Quatre, here we are, wake up...now, before I drench you with cold water," she grumbled as she shook her little brother slightly, then a little more agressively.   
  
"Yyyyy----zzzzzz-----yyyyy----" he groaned.  
  
The sister smiled at the newcomers before gritting, "Quatre, this is absolutely important!"  
  
Quatre lifted his hand and smiled dreamily. "How."  
  
She rolled her eyes as the newcomers snorted in laughter. "Great, he speaks old western Native laguages...Quatre," she said sternly. "I think you remember what the Preventers are. Anyways, right here beside me is Preventer Ahab Irann, sent from Earth to take you to see Preventer Noin. They say it's urgent."  
  
"Llllllieutennnnnannnnttttt Nnnnnnooooiin?" he slurred.  
  
"Yes, Lt. Noin," she acknowledged. "You have to go at once."  
  
Her younger sister leaned over. "Eagar to see him leave, hmm, sister?"  
  
"Yes, very," she replied somberly, shaking her little brother before looking up to Irann. "I'll get him dressed. He shouldn't be much of trouble en route to Earth."  
  
Irann nodded.   
  
Quatre did a sloppy salute. "Ooooohhhh, say can yooooouuuuu seeeeeeeeee?"  
  
"I hope he won't sing," Irann remarked sardonically.   
  
  
~End of Chapter 


	4. Brotherly Love

Couldn't think of a title, and besides, this does give a hint of the return of one of our favourite characters. ^_~  
  
~Brotherly Love~  
~*Force of the Future*~  
  
Location: L5 Colony  
He was dreaming of Nataku when he was awakened by Sally Po.  
  
"What now, woman?" he demanded harshly as he flung the covers aside and swung his feet to the icy floor. He reached out and pulled on a buttoned shirt and left it open before glaring at the night figure of Sally Po, who was wearing a beige robe, her long hair pulled up in a sleepy braid.  
  
She was in no mood to deal with Wufei's annoying temper for she was getting irritated herself. "There's some Preventers at the door that wish to speak to you," she snapped. "And before you talk to them, I suggest you clean that mouth of yours with soap and water!" She then stalked off.  
  
Wufei suddenly had a pang of guilt. Great, Chang, his inner voice said smarily, you've done yourself over this time.  
  
Shut up, he thought as he got up and walked to the front door of their place.  
Waiting impatiently at the door was two Preventers, a man and a woman. The man was taller than Wufei with neatly combed-back hair in a neatly-pressed uniform while the woman had short hair pulled back to make her look more masculine and had a bulky uniform that made her look old.  
  
Yuck, he thought as he diverted his attention to the man. "Yes?"  
  
The man stepped up and did a salute. Wufei returned the salute before the man revealed his ID and said, "I am Preventer Michael Geoffry, dispatched from Headquarters on Earth. I am under orders from Preventer Noin to accompany you to Earth, ASAP"  
  
"What for?" inquired Sally Po from one side. Wufei didn't know she was there.  
"I don't know, sir," Geoffry replied. "We are here under orders."  
  
Wufei nodded slowly, considering all that Preventer Geoffry had just told them. "Fine. I'll go with you. But this better be worth it."  
  
"Wufei!" Sally croaked from behind.  
  
He turned around to face him. "Hush it, Sally," he told her softly, enough so she could hear it. "I have to go. Don't worry...it shouldn't take that long. Hopefully, this'll be worth it and if it's over nothing, I'll be back before you can even notice I'm gone."  
  
"Really?" she asked softly.  
  
"Yes," he responded.  
  
"Then...say hello to Noin for me," she said.  
  
"I'm not going to be your courier! Tell her yourself!" he snapped.  
  
Sally Po looked at him with a "too bad" look.  
  
He sighed. "Oh, alright already! Sheesh."  
  
Sally smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Good...be back soon!"  
  
"Oh, brother."  
  
  
Location: Earth  
"Noin?"  
  
Preventer Noin looked up to see someone standing at the door to her office where Relena had passed by just a day ago. It seemed like forever for she had been working non-stop since the bombings had began. Will it ever end? She hoped that Relena was doing a better job than she was.  
  
"Yes, Preventer?"  
  
Suddenly, she saw a bag of food in front of all her work. Annoyed, she snapped her head up, a scowl twisted on her lips, ready to spew a retort when she saw the newcomer. Long, blonde hair and pale eyes, standing tall and proud infront of her. "Zechs?"  
  
Zechs smiled ruefully. "I thought you might want a late-night dinner delivery," he said casually, taking a seat in front of her and just looked at her calmly, his eyes piercing hers as if he was taking a glimpse into her mind, into her soul.   
  
It made her blush as she rubbed her eyes. "Thank you. Zechs."  
  
He nodded and gestured to her paperss squandered all over her desk. "You were never a desk jockey," he pointed out gently. "Let me guess---you haven't got a lot to work on."  
  
She sighed. "This is just all screwed," she blurted out wearily. "I mean, I don't udnerstand their motives, their intentions. So far, we only know that they're attacking peace buildings that your sister, Relena, had created. Other than that, I don't know. They haven't attacked in a while...so what's their motive?"  
  
"You want my opinion?" he asked.   
  
She nodded.   
  
"I think the whole desk jockey thing has gotten into your head," he commented smarily, making her wide-eyed with irritation. He smiled, letting her know that he was just kidding. "My opinion is that I think that you should get some rest before you think this over again."  
  
Noin refused. "But---"  
  
"Noin," he said sternly. "You're all beaten out. Even a soldier knows when it's time to stop fighting and rest." He got up and walked over to her and knelt down until he was the same height as her. "Noin, Noin, Noin, even now you still stand strong. Rest," he said soothingly, brushing a strand of her hair aside, "and tomorrow, maybe you'll find the answer."  
  
She nodded slowly as she leaned forward and locked lips with Zechs. "I'm so glad you're here, Zechs," she whispered. "I don't think I can really go on like this without you around."  
  
He smiled, brushing her hair back. "You aren't backing out, right?"  
  
"Of course not---"  
  
"Preventer Noin," came a voice over comm. "This is Preventer Une speaking. I've got four comfirmations from colonies L2 all the way to L5. They've accomplished their missions and will arrive ETA one day."  
  
Zechs looked away, allowing Noin room to talk.   
  
She reached over and pressed a reply button. "Good, Une. Tell me, have you heard anything from Minister Dorlian in Colony L1?"  
  
"No, Noin. Nothing."  
  
Noin and Zechs sighed.  
  
"Don't worry...I'm sure she's alright."  
  
Noin nodded empathically and turned to Zechs. "She has to be."  
  
Location: L1 Colony  
Relena awoke slowly from her sweet dreams, feeling her body becoming heavier as her dream body merged back to her reality self. She moaned, wishing that she would get a bit more sleep. She lacked sleep since Preventer Noin informed her of the terrorist attacks and she wished that she was never told in the first place. Nonetheless...  
  
She opened one dreary eye and looked around. She was still in her clothes from the night before and was rather stiff with lack of stretching. She also felt something heavy on her shoulder blade. She craned her head slowly, in case a headache emerged from nowhere, to see what it was. There, sleeping quietly on her shoulder, was a fatigue Heero.   
  
She smiled softly to herself, slightly amused. She had never seen Heero so fatigued before, well, maybe not, but she never had him sleep on her shoulder.   
  
She tried to recall the past evening. Coffee, some strange thing inside cyberspace that Heero was too fustrated to dig in more, their eyes meeting... she shook her head, trying to get out the feeling of discomfort and strange relief out of her mind.   
  
I have work to do, she insisted, trying to straighten her messy hair.  
Heero stirred in his sleep, and finally woke up for the pressure to her shoulder risen slightly. His deep eyes darted around the room for a brief moment before it focused on Relena. She could see a slight bafflement to his cool and calculating gaze.   
  
"Good morning," she greeted softly.   
  
"Relena." It came out hoarsely.   
  
She smiled softly before gesturing him to sit up straight. His hair was dishevelled and he was busy trying to get some saliva moving in his dry mouth as she got to her feet and straighten her crumpled shirt. "You're free to use the washroom, y'know," she told him. "I have to call Noin. Can I leave you for a moment?"  
  
"You always had in the past; what difference is now?"  
  
She took it for a yes and strode to a communications consol and typed in the code to contact the Preventers Headquarters on Earth. A moment later, she found herself face to face with Preventer Noin. She seemed a little fresher than she had in days.  
  
"Noin."  
  
"It's about time," Noin remarked. "Why the hell haven't you called the past day or so? I was getting worried. We all were. Did you find Heero?" she asked impatiently.   
  
Relena nodded. "Yes, he's with me in the suite."  
  
Noin went wide-eyed and in the background, she heard, "WHAT?!"  
  
Relena recognized the voice immediately. "B-Brother?"  
  
Noin was suddenly pushed aside to reveal Zechs Marquize, otherwise known as Milliardo Peacecraft, her brother. Nothing really changed from him, except that slight growth of a goatee. At least he trimmed his hair once in a while. And he didn't look too happy. "Where's Heero?" he demanded. "What the hell is he doing in your suite?! If I see that on of a bi---"  
  
"Brother," Relena stated sternly. "He's here because I invited him for some coffee and for some conversation, nothing more. Really, Brother, have you no faith in me?"  
  
Ouch, that shut Zechs up.  
  
"May I please speak to Noin, Brother?" she asked, a little more gentler.   
  
"Y-Yes, of course."  
  
The screen was replaced with the image of Noin, who was incredibly impressed but then returned to a business mode. "Tell me, Relena, when are you leaving?" she asked. "The others are on their way from the colonies to the Headquarters. I don't think they want to hang around and wait for you and Heero to come."  
  
Relena nodded. "We'll leave as soon as Heero is ready."  
  
"I'm already ready," Heero murmured from behind, making Relena jump.  
She sighed, glaring an "I'm going to kill you" look, watching his face. He seemed slightly amused at what he had done as she turned back to the screen and said breathlessly, "We're on our way."  
  
  
~End of Chapter  
Like it? Hehehe...thought it was about time to put Zechs back into the roll of things...don't 4get to review! it's only because of u guyz i'm continuing the story...so, ^^ 


	5. The Orders of Soldiers

Here it is, the fifth chapter. So all the ex-Gundam pilots are regrouped. What does Noin have in mind? ^^ Find out! Don't forget to R&R!  
  
~The Orders of Soldiers~  
~*Force of the Future*~  
  
Location: Somewhere on Earth  
"News, Number Two?"  
  
"Yes, sir. The Preventers are regrouping the former Gundam pilots."  
  
Silence. "Really, Number Two?"  
  
"Y-Yes sir. The Minister of Peace is on her way to Earth from Colony L1 with one of the pilots who was known to have managed the 01 and 00 model. Four other ships were dispatched from the other four colonies carrying one of the Gundam pilots."  
  
Silence. "Hmm...thank you for telling me, Number Two. You will be rewarded."  
  
"May I ask what you intend to do?"  
  
"Certainly. I plan to rule the Earth, and trample over those who had tried to do so before me. The former OZ sector...Treize Kushrenada, rest his soul...his daughter, Mariameia, the little brat...hah! I will succeed where others had fallen! I will reign where others had crumbled in power. I will rule the world, Number Two, and in order to do so---"  
  
"You must get rid of the Peace Ministry."  
  
"Exactly! In fact, we must get rid of the one in charge of the ministry."  
  
"Relena Peacecraft---"  
  
"Exactly. And I'm putting you in charge to make sure that it does happen."  
  
"Thank you, Number One."  
  
  
Location: Preventers Headquarters, Earth  
"Heero!" Quartre greeted as Heero and Relena entered Noin's office.   
  
Relena was correct; the former Gundam pilots were all together again. Wufei was standing by the wall in a white buttoned shirt and black traditional Chinese pants, arms folded and grunting a hello with his eyes closed. Quatre was sipping tea and sitting on one of the lounge chairs, dressed peculiarly in a red t-shirt and beige pants. Trowa was standing towards the window, looking outside calmly in a blue turtleneck, vest and matching pants. His hair became a little less swift and was a little more messier than the last time either of them remembered. Duo was still Duo, in a pale green buttoned shirt and jeans.   
  
"Well, if it isn't Heero Yuy," Duo said smarily.   
  
"Hello, Duo," he said coldly.   
  
Noin was seated on her desk, busy reading some latest reports and Zechs was floating behind her, reading some more reports. He was leaning startlingly closer than usual to Noin, and she didn't mind that. Relena was bedazzled but tried to ignore it.   
  
"Preventer Noin...Brother," she greeted. "Mission accomplished."  
  
Heero blinked; that was HIS line!  
  
Noin nodded wearily, getting to her feet. "Alright, people," she stated. "I asked all of you to come here for a special purpose. As you all know, terrorists have been bombing Peace Ministry buildings with no ulterior motive, none at all. They've been keeping a lot of things out of the loop and they're covering their tracks pretty damn well."  
  
"Figures," Duo remarked, "they are terrorists."  
  
Zechs sighed. "The point is, you kids know things the Preventers will take months to figure out," he told them. "You were trained extensively to think, smell, hear and see like a soldier, so you know what you're looking for. Plus," he added, "in case of an emergancy, we may need you kids."  
  
"Wow, the almighty Zechs needs help from five kids," Trowa murmured as he approached the group calmly and coolly before settling his gaze at the former OZ soldier. "That's unheard of."  
  
"Trowa, you have a pretty dry sense of humour nowadays," Quatre pointed out.  
  
"The point is," Noin stated, "we need your help. Your skills."  
  
"Wow, I feel pretty special all of a sudden," Duo said happily.   
  
"Don't you always?" Wufei snapped.   
  
Heero shurgged. "No problem," he said calmly. "What do you want us to do?"  
Noin nodded, handing each one a folder. "We want you to go undercover," she told them. "Each one of you has a package of a specific area. You will be assigned to that building and watch for anything suspicious. I'm betting my life on that they have undercover agents in those buildings." She turned to Relena. "You will brief the heads of those buildings."  
  
Relena nodded. "Alright."  
  
Zechs nodded as well. "Noin and I will be investigating in Amsterdam and most of the Eastern European countries," he told them. "Heero, you and Relena will be in Moscow, Russia and monitoring the situation there aand those involved in their former Republic. Duo, you have the North American continent, roughly in New Washington. Trowa, you have the South American continent, and will monitor from Nova San Juan. Quatre, you have the Arabian countries and parts of the Asian areas and Wufei, you have all of the Eastern and Southeastern Asia."  
  
They nodded and looked at their files.  
  
"Who will take care of the African and Australian Outbacks?" Relena asked.  
"We have Preventer Une covering the Australian Outbacks and we called in Preventer Po coming in from Colony L5 to assist with the other preventers in the African continent," Noin replied. "You all have your orders. Carry them out to the best of your ability. We have to get those bastards for what they've done."  
  
"Okay, Preventer Noin," Quatre said.   
  
Wufei was scowling. "Geez, and she made me play messenger!"  
  
No one understood what he was muttering about.  
  
"Inside those folders are your information in regards to your area," she continued, "and your tickets. Round air fare. You will have a contact within that building who will help you search for any terrorists as well as keep you up to date of what's going on."  
  
"I'm Relena's bodyguard?" Heero said out loud in mild surprise.  
  
Relena was shocked, turning to Noin and Zechs for an answer.  
  
Zechs was just as surprised. "What?!"  
  
Noin shrugged, trying hard not to smile foolishly. "I didn't know what to do," she said softly. "Relena had those meetings this week with the Russian officials and it would have been suspicious if they were always caught dead together. At first, I though I'd put them as married---" That made Zechs go to the brink of insanity, "---but then I knew what your reaction would be. So, bodyguard it is." She turned to Heero.  
  
Heero shrugged. "Alright, then."  
  
Zechs glared a look that said "Do anything stupid and die."  
  
Noin clapped her hands together. "Okay, you all have your specified missions," she told them. "Don't turn me down, people. You're dismissed."  
Quatre said as they filed out, "Guess I'll be with you, Wufei."  
  
Wufei grunted something in responce that was not human.  
  
"Guess it'll be you and me, pal," Duo said cheerfully, putting his arm on Trowa's shoulder and whistling cheerfully behind the passive Quatre and the despaired Wufei.  
  
Trowa, in return, looked down with curiousity at Duo's actions. "Do me a favour, Duo," he said calmly, "and put your hand down from my shoulder. I don't want people to think the wrong thing."  
  
Duo did so automatically.  
  
"Are you okay about this entire thing, Heero?" Relena asked calmly.  
He shrugged. "This entire situation with the terrorists is unnerving," he admitted slowly as they walked behind the rest of the ex-Gundam pilots. "It worries me...how many people will pay the price before we hunt them down, I do not know."   
  
Relena smiled partially. "I meant the entire arrangement."  
  
He shrugged, trying desperately to hide the embarrassment. He had just blurted out his thoughts of the entire situation regardless of the arrangement Noin had made. "I am okay," he stated simply, to avoid any more confusion. "What worries me now is your safety."  
  
Relena sighed. That was sweet, she thought as they walked down the corridor.  
  
  
"Was that such a wise decision, putting my younger sister with that...guy?" Zechs demanded once they had disappeared from Noin's office. He was pacing back and forth like a paranoid man as he continued bitterly, "For God's sake, Noin, what were you thinking? He's the same age as Relena and at this point---"  
  
"Is grown up to make their own decisions," Noin finished calmly as she tossed some papers aside and looked up at Zechs calmly. She had seen Zechs like this before, back at the Acadamy when they were training as OZ recruits. "If they choose do advance in their bond, then so be it. We can't do anything about it, you and I both know that."  
  
"But---" he protested.  
  
"They're no longer children, Zechs."  
  
"Yes, but their minds aren't completely adults yet either," he countered.  
"Zechs...please," she said wearily, rubbing her temples. "Just leave the topic alone. I've done enough for today and I don't wish to enter another debate just...about...now..." She swooned over in her chair, making Zechs reach out and catch her before hitting the floor.  
  
"Noin...Noin!" he cried, before slapping the comm unit. "Call the hospital, now!"  
  
  
~End of Chapter  
No! Noin! Don't worry...so, what do u think? Pleaze review! Chapter six is in the making still, so hang on... 


	6. Mission Accepted

Here's the next installment. So I left you off with Noin collapsing and sending the Gundam team off throughout the world to track down those nasty terrorists. Although, there are certain complications...  
  
~*Mission Accepted*~  
~*Force of the Future*~  
  
Location: somewhere in Europe  
"What are you doing, Heero?" Relena asked, peering over to see what Heero was doing. She only saw a bunch of binary codes on the computer screen as Heero tapped down, reading the eight-digit codes. She looked cautiously at Heero; his eyes were darting left and right, reading it as fast as he was scrolling the information.  
  
She sighed and sat back on her chair, thinking on how her life's changed all over again. Her life was so quiet for the past two years...until the terrorists popped up. Now she was back in the action...if u call watching Heero risk his life action. She sighed again; here she was, all prepped for the role of the pacifist again, the peacful, graceful one, the damsel in distress. Oh, sure, she had trained herself for self-defense during the time she was with Heero, but even then she wouldn't use it when the occasion arose.  
  
Why?  
  
Because she was a pacifist. She held up the beliefs passed down her family. She had to admit, sometimes she wished she was fighting side by side with the ex-Gundams and proving something. She was worthless, and she felt it to the bone.  
  
"You okay?" Heero asked lowly, darting his eyes out to her.  
  
Relena blinked. "Yeah---Yeah."  
  
"No, you're not."  
  
Am I that obvious? "Then why did you ask?" she said through gritted teeth.  
He blinked, returning his gaze towards the computer screen and Relena suddenly regretted what she saw. He didn't say anything, but she hoped that she didn't hurt his feelings. She then wondered, what would happen if she did hurt his feelings? She didn't want to come to that.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Heero," she began.  
  
"It's alright," he replied, closing the screen and turning to face her. "It won't come to that, Relena. You're not worthless, you know. You're worth something too. You fight too...just in a different way." He reached out and cradled her head from behind. "Don't you ever feel bad about that. At least not around me."  
  
Relena was wide-eyed with wonder; how did he know what she was thinking?   
They just sat there, looking at each other the same way they were back at at her suite on L1. It was strange and awkward, yet she felt completely comfortable doing so...why was it that he kept on doing that? Then she felt his hand guiding her towards him until they were a fraction of an inch apart...  
  
"Miss Dorlian? Your brother is on the phone."  
  
She sighed softly, avoiding the blow of gust onto Heero's pale skin. Heero let go of her as she turned to get up and walk to the phone. She knew he was watching her keenly, and she never felt the eyes leave her...  
  
  
Location: New Washington, North America  
"---c'mon, Hilde!" Duo yelled at the phone vid booth. "It's just a mission! Nothing serious...tell you what, I'll send you a souvinir when I come back...yeah, yeah, it'll be sweet...hell no! It'll be a surprise...too bad...you're gonna have to wait...yah, yah, I'll be okay...I love you too, honey...bye!"  
  
Duo hung up and slumped forward, walking out of the phone vid booth. Hilde can be such a worrier and so overprotective at times. He felt like he was being suffocated inside out but he supposed she had a reason. She feared him for what the mission would mean and what it was all about. He understood what she was going through; a lot of women linked with militaristic men with important missions. He wished that he didn't had to give her such a grief in his heart.   
  
Sometimes, I wish I didn't had to be so close to her...  
  
He sighed as he walked down the streets of New Washington with his hands jabbed into his pockets with his shades one, contemplating his relationship with Hilde. Does she really want to go through with me all the way? he wondered, passing by an greek restaurant, watching the greek chef sizzle a slab of meat on the grill with ease. I mean, I might hurt her. I'm petrified to hurt her even slightly. It would break my heart to see her in tears. Is this ideal?  
  
He then reached the Peace Ministry headquarters, located right near Capitol Hill, the remnants of the old age, back when political crisis and civil wars were on most peoples' minds. At least it was a bit simpler back then, slightly.   
  
I don't know what to do anymore, he thought. Maybe I should call it quits and end this before i really hurt her.  
  
"Mr. Maxwell?"  
  
Duo turned around to see a beautiful woman approach him. She wore a white blouse, a skirt that ran to her knees, high heels and a jacket with an emblem on it. Her hair was honey brown that ran to her shoulders and she had the most crystal blue eyes. Her presence almost made his jaw drop in such astonishment. She was like a beauty queen.   
  
"Mr. Maxwell?" she repeated.  
  
He finally found his voice. "Y-Yes?"  
  
She outstretched her tan hand out to him. "Preventer Agent Maureen Hepburn," she introduced herself in her finely lit voice. "I will be your contact within the Peace Ministry Headquarters. I am sure that your flight has been a pleasant one?"  
  
Duo flashed a charming smile. "Oh, lady, it has been."  
  
She smiled again and walked with him towards the building. "Your name will be Duo Mashall and you are working as a co-op for the unit," she said, handing him an identification card. "You will keep a close watch of Mr. Greg Nasedo, the chief of the staff and you will also watch out for anything suspicious. I will be around if you need my help on anything."  
  
"Can I ask now?" he asked dreamily.   
  
She pretended as if she didn't hear that as she continued. "Preventer Marquise says that you must report in every day or so to keep an update on your progress."  
  
"Where's Preventer Noin?" he asked.  
  
"In the hospital."  
  
Duo looked away for a moment. This isn't going to be easy, with Zechs watching my every move, he thought. I wish I could talk to Heero or Trowa... they'd know what to do to outsmart Zechs...dammit...this isn't easy, and with a gorgeous bombshell like her...damn, Duo, you're taken, remember? Damn, damn, damn, why is life so complicated?  
  
  
Location: Nova San Juan, Chile  
The city was only two hundred years old, not as old as some other places in South America, and the temperature was as much as Canada's. Trowa found himself lost in the streets of crowded people, all pushing and shoving each other to get to their destination.  
  
He looked down on himself. He was wearing a suit, a very awkward business suit, with the insignia of the Peace Ministry on his breast of his black coat and on his right sleeve. He had silver cuffs and his shoes shone just a little too much. He pressed his lips together in dismay; this was no soldier's uniform.   
  
Trowa calmly strode across until he reached the Headquarters, which blended in with the modern look. All around, he saw men and women walking around in a panic hurry, their faces pale as they rushed around in a quiet murmur. He frowned slightly; what the hell was going on, making them panic like this? In his curiousity, he grabbed one woman's hand, who was striding quickly into the building, her heels clipping soundly on the cement floor.  
  
"Hey," he said, "what's going on?"  
  
She looked at him, her brown eyes wide. "Didn't you hear?"  
  
"No," he replied, then pondered before adding, "Lunch hour."  
  
She rolled her eyes as she loosened his firm grip from her arm. "There was a letter sent from the terrorists, saying something about hitting here in Chile. We've called the Preventers and there's crawlling on their knees all over the country, searching for them. Radical scums," she added bitterly. "Say, you have a strong grip. Shouldn't you be with the Preventers?"  
  
He bristled. "I'm looking for an agent, named Andie Rodriguez. Know her?"  
She flashed back an all-that look. "Know her? I am her!" she started, then laughed melodically. "You're Trowa Barton, aren't you? The ex-Gundam pilot Noin decided to dump on me for this terrorist stuff? Yeah...here." She handed him an identification card. "Your name is Triton Matthews, newly installed here. You're my right man in the job. Sorry I didn't recognize you. Let's go. The action's heating up."  
  
  
~End of Chapter  
Now you got some conflict in here...u'know, denial, confusion, doubt, etc. R&R! 


	7. Kidnapped!

Okay, here's the rest of the Gundam situation and...well, yes, judging by the title, there is a certain complication...  
  
~*Kidnapped!*~  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: New Tower, Saudi  
"Master Quatre! Indeed the gods are good to me for have returning you!"  
"Hello, Rafdah," Quatre greeted, bowing down to a middle-aged man wearing a red cap on his head and wearing some traditional Arabian clothes. He looked around at the mansion his father had owned. "I must be frank, but I am on a mission. I am to go to the Peace Ministry Headquarters here and look out for the terrorists."  
  
Rafdah nodded in understanding. "Scoundrel," he muttered. "They have no honour, striking in the dark when no one is looking. Have they no pride? Surely only a coward would strike when no one is looking." He shook his head. "I do not know this world anymore."  
  
"Nonetheless, Rafdah..."  
  
"Agreed," he responded, handing a card to him. "Here is an identification card. Everyone knows you, so I placed you under a guest from Noin. No secret identities...just the truth."  
  
"Thank you, Rafdah," Quatre said kindly as they walked over to a window where the city lay before them, gleaming under the hot Arabian sun. The city was a mix of the modern design and the design of before; it was an incredible sight. He sighed it had been so long since he had seen Earth. "Tell me, Rafdah, has there been any trouble around here? Y'know, terrorist activity."  
  
"None that I am aware of, Master Quatre," he replied with equal grace. "Although, come to think of it..."  
  
Quatre looked up in interest. "Tell me."  
  
Rafdah nodded slowly. "There is a bar, some five blocks from this mansion," he explained. "A lot of men come there at the end of the day...I go there for some gossip. You know, little talk with everybody who knows everybody. Well, anyways, one day, a strange man entered the bar. He was an odd man, his face draped with all sorts of unnessesary coverings...and he walked over to a secluded area where only a few stand. I do not know about you, Master, but I think they had some illegal business there."  
  
"Thank you, Rafdah." Quatre turned, ready to go.  
  
Rafdah grabbed his arm. "I must warn you, Master Quatre, I do not trust them. It is not wise for a man of your status to be running around in there...it is better if I handle it. Who knows what might happen if you put yourself in such positions..."  
  
"Rafdah," he said in a testy tone.  
  
"No, Master," he insisted. "I will not allow you to put yourself in such a position. You have just arrived...please, settle in before you put yourself in risk."  
Quatre sighed. "Okay."  
  
Location: Beijing, China  
"Identification?" the computer ordered.  
  
The card slid down the slot. The computer did some electronic choke before the light turned green and the metal door opened, with the computer stating emotionlessly, "Identification confirmed."  
  
The person walked inside, retrieving his ID.  
  
The area was barely above a whisper although there was a productive move here. The people were dressed in the same suits he was in, flashing the Peace Ministry insignia and their suits are bleak and pressed properly. The women who had short hair was like unisex with the guys and the women who had long hair had them up in tight bun on their heads. Their faces had no life; just the dead seriousness of their job.  
  
He walked towards the administrative's desk and looked through the list.  
  
"May I help you?" the man at the desk said gruffly.  
  
He looked up, his sharp eyes meeting the man's black ones. He had jet black hair with blonde streaks running through him. He looked positively harassed at the moment. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong person to bent out the situation on.   
  
"I'm looking for Agent Mitchell Sang," he said thinnly.  
  
"I'm sorry, but he's on lunch break."  
  
He frowned slightly. "You haven't even checked yet," he pointed out.  
  
The man was unmoved. "Doesn't matter," he replied in a semi-mocking voice. "I don't need to; everybody knows that Agent Sang is out in lunch at the moment. He won't be back for another while. So, if you don't mind, I have a lot of things to do---"  
  
"Does it look like I care?" he snapped. "I was asked to report at this time. Now, you will find me, or I will---"  
  
"Do what? You are in a Peace Ministry building!" the man uttered.  
  
His eyes flashed out angrily. "Maybe so, but right now you aren't helping it!" he shot back angrily. "How dare you bring out the defence of this place to your side! You aren't honourable...how dare you even think of yourself to be a peaceful man if you can't even settle this!"  
  
The man at the counter was about to retort, when his face turned red.  
  
"Harassing new comers again, Zhi Yang? Never thought of this," said the newcomer, approaching the desk. The man was tall and imposing, with his dark hair pulled back in a ponytail similar to his and his dark eyes darted about with such a glare...he looked down at him. "Are you Chang Wufei?"  
  
Wufei nodded bleakly. "Sang Mitchell."  
  
Sang bowed down politely. "Yes. Ignore Zhi...he's always like that," he said firmly, turning to face the receptionist, who was now beet red with rage. "Zhi! Get back to work!" he snapped before advising Wufei, "Come with me and I will explain it all."  
  
  
Location: Somewhere in Russia  
"Is everything ready?"  
  
"Almost."  
  
"Almost isn't good enough."  
  
"I'm getting on it."  
  
"Tell me, what is the location of our target?"  
  
"Moscow, Russia."  
  
"We're going there...hehehehe...Relena, we will hunt you down!"  
  
  
Location: Moscow, Russia  
"Thank you," Relena said kindly to the door man. "That will be all."  
  
The man nodded and closed the door behind him. Relena sighed, pressing her long, bony fingers on her temples, walking over to the couch and plopping on it, regardless of her clothes. The pain was killing her head even though she had only arrived a couple of hours ago with Heero.  
  
Where was he anyways?  
  
She had already met their agent who would help them in the building and she already had met with the Russian officials. She was exhausted and she hadn't even eaten a lot. The only thing in her mind now was to retire in her bedroom and sleep forever.   
  
She sighed and rested her head back, her hands still on her forehead and was drifting off when she felt cool fingers press against her temples and massaging it slowly. Her eyes snapped open to reveal Heero's face hovering above her.   
  
"Calm down," he said monotonely. "You'll get another headache."  
  
Relena closed her eyes again as Heero continued to massage her temples. "Where did you learn to...do...this?" she asked with her eyes still shut, trying not to groan at the fact that it was actually helping the tension unwind.  
  
"Somewhere. Stop moving, you're making me lose my concentration."  
  
"So-rry! But you're tickling me!" Relena said, her eyes squeezed shut and wincing. "It's not my fault I'm ticklish!" When she felt the hand sweep down from her temples, she snapped her eyes open and saw that Heero was now sitting beside her. She frowned. "Heero?"  
  
He didn't say anything. He only looked at her peculiarly.  
  
She swallowed dryly. "Heero?"  
  
He still didn't say anything. His hand was still on her cheek, when he drew her closer for a kiss. She wasn't thinking, he probably wasn't either (she couldn't tell) and before she knew it, she was locking lips with him. She didn't know how long it lasted and frankly, didn't care. She felt like she was being released from something she did not know of, but it seemed so obsolete. Heero was finallt realzing---or had he known the entire time?  
He drew her closer...  
  
Relena felt a part of her panic and hurriedly broke the kiss. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, brushing her hair back. "Wow," she managed to say.  
  
Heero partially smiled, as if he was embaressed. He then looked at her carefully, and she returned the same look. She was perplexed; what was he thinking of? She tried so hard to read his expression but failed; she could never figure him out, really.   
  
He then reached out his hand and placed it over hers. It was touching.   
  
"I have to go sleep now...y'know," she managed to say weakly.  
  
"I understand. Go sleep. I'll be here if you need me."  
  
She wanted to fling her arms out to him but she felt something pull her back. She didn't understand what was happening to her, but she retreated before Heero could comprehend. He saw something going on, and he was about to say something but she had feld the scene and to her room, where she collapsed on the bed.   
  
I don't understand, she thought miserably. Now that I finally had my dreams come true and I'm backing up here. I don't understand...why?...  
  
Her thoughts were cut off when someone put a gag in her mouth, making her panicked for a moment before falling unconscious.  
  
Heero...  
  
~End of Chapter  
What do u think? Yah, it's a bit on a rush, my fingers ache and it's late at night, anyways, R&R! 


	8. It's Only a Sandwich

Here it is, the next chapter. ^^  
  
It's only a sandwich  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: New Tower, Saudi  
The Tavern smelled like vomit, sweat, stale beer and something else Quatre did not want to find out. He walked into the cavern in a tunic that covered much of his face, in fear that they might recognize him, as well as to block out the stench of the cavern.   
  
Rajdah would be furious if he found out what I am doing, he thought as he made his way through the drunk crowd, looking for the man that Rajdah had described earlier in the day. But with the dim lights and drunkards all around him, it would be difficult.  
  
Did this man drink?  
  
Did this man get drunk?  
  
Is he dangerous?  
  
Quatre clenched his fist to give himself a little more confidence before continuing his search. He finally found a man, all dressed in drab black, sitting on a table at the far end, looking deeply into a candle that was his lamp. He moved towards him.  
  
"Excuse me?" he asked.  
  
The man did not look up.  
  
"Excuse me, may I ask what is your business here?" he stated louder.  
  
The man still did not answer.  
  
Quatre was growing fustrated. Can he talk. "I said---"  
  
"I heard what you said, boy," he snapped sharply, emphasis on boy. "And frankly, I don't give much of a damn what you are thinking or what you are asking because I have no interest of you. Now, beat it."  
  
"I have been looking all over for you and I have risked myself to get here," Quatre said, his impatience boiling with crankiness and the heat in the room. "And I will not leave until you give me an answer." He lifted a gun from beneath his tunic and pointed it at his face.  
  
The man was wide-eyed with surprise. Then, he said calmly, "Outside."  
  
He led the way, with Quatre behind him, the gun still there, but concealed by the tunic. His stomach tightened as a stiff breeze brushed his drenched skin; he felt something suspicious, but he couldn't grasp the concept. Whatever it was was going to reveal itself in due time.  
  
The man had led him to a silent alley at the side of the tavern. The Arabian moon shone brightly, a halo of blue surrounding it, the stars glistening nearby.   
  
"That's enough," Quatre ordered. "Now, you didn't answer my question. What is your business here in New Tower?"  
  
"Simple. I'm a businessman. The tradeworks."  
  
"Yeah right," Quatre said wearily, with a snort. "You're lying between your teeth. No one really comes here for business unless they have something illegal to drop off or maybe...something you don't want the goverment to know about it."  
  
"What do you care?" the man spat. "You ain't no goverment official."  
  
Quatre was boiling, but he did not show it. He was tired, and he had been cranky since he got back to Earth. He did not have the time for this person. "I care enough. Next question; did you had anything to do whatsoever with the bombings of the peace buildings?"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?!"  
  
"Answer the question," Quatre pressed dryly.   
  
The man didn't say anything. He huffed angrily before saying, "What if I did?" he asked, walking backwards slowly in the alleyway, behind some trash cans. "What would you do about...it?!" He then grabbed some of the trash cans and threw it at Quatre. He was fast; the cans slammed into his belly and his head and threw him back, dropping the gun.  
  
Footsteps racing down the far end.   
  
By the time Quatre got up, he saw the man disappear to the right. Without feeling the pain, he bolted to his feet and started running after him, ignoring the things that were in the way. His eyes were starting to stagger and see double, but he still kept running.  
  
He heard the man laugh a distant, a madman's laugh with words, "Bomb...headed...1200 hours...Washington..." before he stumbled over a brick that had fallen off a building and fell unconscious.   
  
  
Location: Amsterdam, Netherland  
Zechs woke up to a vid call. His hair still a mess as he got up and pulled on a robe over his nude self. He groggily sat up and kissed the frame on his bedside, where a picture of a smiling Lucrenzia Noin was placed. He smiled; was she alright in the hospital?  
  
The vid phone beeped again.  
  
He groaned. "Yah, yah, I'm comin'." He groaned again to his feet and stumbled over to the vid phone. The screen was blinking; private number. He groaned. Surely this couldn't be the hospital...He clicked the accept button and held his head on his hand, bored and sleepy.  
  
The image of Heero Yuy appeared.  
  
"Heero!" He nearly fell over in exasperation. "What the hell--?!"  
  
Heero was looking positively harassed and didn't appear to have much sleep. Zechs clenched his fist and gritted his teeth and told himself to calm down immediately. "Okay, Heero, you roused me out of my bed about six in the morning but you appear to be without sleep. What's going on?"  
  
He gulped visibly. "It's about Relena."  
  
"What happened? What did you do to her?" he demanded immediately.  
  
He looked like he was going to throw up somewhere because he was pale white as a ghost. Zechs wondered how a fighter like Heero could be so pukey about something. "It's not what I did...she's...um, she's...been kidnapped," he said dryly.  
  
Zechs was furious now. "WHAT?!"  
  
Heero visibly flinched; did Zechs see that right?  
  
Zechs sighed audibly. It probably wasn't his fault...all the way, anyways. He would have to deal with that later. Right now, his sister was kidnapped by someone and he would need Heero's help to find her again. Heero would be the only one that could help him right now. "Okay, what was the last thing she said last night?"  
  
"Good night?"  
  
Sweatdrop. "Okay, then what did you do?"  
  
"I went to the kitchen to fix up something to drink," Heero replied, his face twisting to another one of his fiersome scowls, his eyes piercing right into Zechs'. It made him shiver slightly. "Since when was this an interrogation on me?" he demanded.  
  
"Hush it, Heero. I'm guessing the terrorists did this..." Zech stopped for a moment. "Look, this is going to be tough." When he saw another one of Heero's disapproving scowls, Zechs added quickly, "I'm going to call in to that conference of yours tomorrow telling the Russian officials that you two went back here to Amsterdam because she fell ill and that they should keep this under wraps. You, on the meantime, look for her! Keep me posted." Zechs slammed the end transmission button shut.  
  
Zechs sighed heavily in fustration, kicking the vid box. Dammit, I knew something like this would happen! he thought angrily. I knew something was wrong here...I should have never agreed for Relena to leave off with someone as out of touch as...Heero Yuy...  
  
The vid rang again. He accepted the call and barked, "Yes?!"  
  
"Hi...dear..." came a weak response.  
  
Zechs immediately regretted what he had down as he finally got a clear view of the speaker. He found a weak and pale Noin, lying down on a hospital bed with a bandage wrapped around her forehead. Her eyes gazed out with a sense of indirection but tried best to focus on Zechs. He smiled fraily, and said gently, "Hey."  
  
"Hey...you're awfully agressive this time of morning."  
  
He smiled, trying desperately to hide his agrivation. If she noticed the shift of tone, she didn't acknowledge it. "Yeah, I guess I'm just missing you, that's all," he replied sweetly, pinching his thigh below the vid screen. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Better...much better," she replied. "I wish they'd let me out now."  
  
Zechs smiled despite the situation she was in. Typical Noin. "You should listen to them," he advised gently. "The Preventers need your strength...I need your strength. Stay in bed and reserve all that energy...trust me, you will be needing it."  
  
"You DO miss me, don't you?" she asked teasingly, eyes glistening.  
  
"All the time. Every minute of it," he confessed proudly.  
  
Location: New Washington, North America  
"I am the God of Death," he repeated. "I AM the God of DEATH!"   
  
Tap, tap, tap.  
  
Duo mused his chin, leaning back and contemplating the situation in front of his laptop. He was wearing a t-shirt and black pants, his trademark, and had a glass of pop sitting somewhere on the counter. He then yawned before returning his glazed look at the screen.  
  
But his mind wasn't there.  
  
He kept of thinking of that Maureen Hepburn; the way she strode up to him, the way she smiled and the way she cool about the entire situation. She was genuinely model material; everything was perfect on her. She was also quite smart and she demonstrated it quite well in the conference during the tour. And the way she kept on holding close to him...  
  
He was also thinking of Hilde; his Hilde. Her short, boyish hair, her soulful eyes and her playful ways. She wasn't looking for fame or fortune. She was very loyal and very committed. She would never give up and would always try to do what was right in a situation. C'mon, she was even an OZ soldier for a brief time...she loved him...  
  
Duo felt he was at crossroads between two women. Which of them held the key to his future? The best future? The future that was his and his to share with her? He was so confused.   
  
Knock, knock.  
  
Duo groaned to his feet and stradled to the door, his hand absently reaching beneath his loose shirt where his gun sat, waiting for the time when its services would be needed. "Who is it?" he demanded hostily.  
  
"It's me, Preventer Hepburn."  
  
He felt his heart skip a beat as he opened the door. "Hey."  
  
"Hey," she greeted, smiling. "May I...come in?"  
  
"Oh, sure!" he replied, swinging the door back to let her in.   
  
She entered as Duo rushed to shut the door behind her. He watched her flow in, in a trench coat and heels with her hair down from work. At the same time, he realized the shape that his hotel room was apparently in. "Excuse the mess," he said, half-apoligizing.   
  
Hepburn smiled callously. "Oh, that's okay. You should see mine!"  
  
He smiled with slight humiliation, thinking, Oh, would I want to see yours! He walked across his thrown-aside attire and shutting off his laptop. "Heh heh, I was always like this," he told her, "living in a ruckus like this. Why, even my girl---" He stopped when he saw her pick up a frame with a picture of Hilde in there.   
  
"Who's this? Your sister?" she asked innocently.   
  
Duo laughed again, uncertain. "No, no. She's my girl back at L2 colony. Her name's Hilde."  
  
"Oh. I see." She sounded almost disappointed.  
  
He attempted to change the topic. "So...why did you drop by?"  
  
She brightened up again. "Oh! Well, I was on my way to catch a midnight snack...I was wondering if maybe...you could...you know...come along?" Then she quickly added, "I could use some company."  
  
Again, Duo sensed the crossroads between her and Hilde. He would have to choose again.  
  
It's only a sandwich.  
  
~*End of Chapter*~ 


	9. The Eyes of the Beholder

Sorry it took so long. here's the next chapter.  
  
~*The Eyes of the Beholder*~  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: Siberia, Russia  
It was freezing cold as Heero Yuy looked at his laptop on the cold winter morning. He was on a plane headed towards Irkutsk, a place near Lake Baikal, where he heard some suspicious incidents had occurred. And, with a tip from a suspicious man---probably working for the terrorists---he was able to board quickly on a plane.   
  
He sighed, bundling into his coat. Where was Relena right now? Was she thinking of him? What were they doing to her?  
  
I'm coming, Relena, he thought. I'm coming to save you....  
  
  
"Heero..." Relena muttered as she awoke from her slumber. She found herself glaring dazily at a lamp that was positioned high up in the room. The ceiling was peeling from paint and there was a foul smell in the air. She them sharply remembered begind grabbed the night before and her eyes flash open.  
"Ahh...Madame...you're awake!"  
  
Relena's eyes darted about, surveying her captors. Unfortunately, she could not see them too well due to the fact that they were hiding in the shadows of the room. Relena squinted her eyes, but still no result. She sighed and tried to rub her eyes to realize her hands were tied behind the back of the chair.   
"What the..."  
  
"I wouldn't struggle if I were you," the man said, something flickering in the shadows, and then a puff of smoke. "I made sure you wouldn't be able to...make an escape, Miz Dorlian."  
  
Relena groaned in fustration. "What do you want?"  
  
The man laughed harshly. "My, that doesn't sound like the vice minister of PEACE, now does it?" he mocked, his foot tapping on the floor with impatience. "Miss Dorlian, don't you see? People were MADE to struggle, to fight, to wage war amoungst one another. Evolution, my dear, evolution and the gradeur of moving on...to a higher being."  
  
Relena faultered. "You're...you're mad!"  
  
"On the contrary, Miss Dorlian," he countered smoothly, "I never felt BETTER!" The last word came out as a shout. He then chuckled at Relena's visible flinch. "You're not as strong as they say you are...Miss Dorlian." He let go of a ragged breath and said nothing more.  
  
Relena flashed hery wide blue eyes into the darkness, still trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. "I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you!" she spat raggedly. "My friends will come..."  
  
"Oh, you mean, those Gundam boys? Hahaha!" he laughed. "I have them taken care of..."  
  
She gasped. Heero! she thought.   
  
  
Location: Nova San Juan, Chile  
The consol beeped.   
  
"Trowa?" Andie called from her consol, brushing her hair back and tapping on the keys. "I think you better check this out..."  
  
Trowa looked up from some computer binary digits on the screen and walked over to where Andie was sitting, carrying the mug of lukewarm coffee in his right hand and used the heel of his left hand to rub his bloodshot eyes. They were working overnight in the Headquarters under a starry night, looking for any whereabouts of Relena or the terrorists.   
  
"More bad news?" he asked gruffly. He hadn't heard any news since Zechs commed him from Amsterdam with news of Relena's disappearance.   
  
"You can say that," Andie replied uneasily, tapping on the consol. "Look at this..." She brought up a screen of a map. She pointed at a high radiation area beeping red. "I picked it up on the continental sensors just moments ago...at first, the coordinates didn't make sense...but then, I reconfigured it and I found out that it's actually a warhead heading straight to Virgina, United States!"  
  
Trowa groaned audibly. "Origin?"  
  
"Looks like somewhere in the Middle East."  
  
Trowa swore beneath his breath and studied the image closer. The interception time was in three hours. Three hours to figure out a way to throw the damned thing off track and prevent destruction, chaos...and perhaps another war. Things were complicated as it is...  
  
"Can you think of any way to get that thing off track?" he asked.  
  
"No, not really." She turned to face him wearily. "I'm sorry, Trowa."  
  
"It's alright." He sighed heavily. "Damn. Andie, I am going to give a number, I want you to dial it and ask for a contact named Quatre," he directed somberly. "I think that if there's anyone who could give us a hand, it'll be him."  
  
  
Location: New Washington, North America  
"Mmm...I haven't tasted fresh shrimp in a long time!" Duo remarked as he dug into his seafood fried rice at a local Chinese restaurant. It was probably 1 in the morning and the Chinese shop didn't contain a lot of people. He was pleased for a quiet and for the food.  
  
Maureen seemed awfully quiet throughout the duration in the shop.  
Although Duo appeared carefree to his surroundings, he was deep in thought about the current crisis. Here he was, light years away from L2 Colony where his live-in girlfriend was wondering if he was safe while here he sat eating fried rice beside a beautiful girl. He loved his Hilde but this woman was temptation itself.   
  
I can handle it, he told himself coolly.  
  
He took a sideward glance at her. She was beautiful, her luscious honey brown hair dropped from her head like a silk curtain, her glassy blue eyes staring into her food. Her cheeks seem to have faltered, as if she was straining some tension over something, her lips a perky tint of pink...  
  
He turned away and glared at his food. Damn, the woman was too...something.  
After they had finished eating, Maureen accompanied him back to his apartment.   
  
"Well, thanks for the chinese food, Maureen," Duo told her as he entered the room. He was about to turn to say good night and shut the door on her when she followed him in. He gulped; what the hell did she still want? Wasn't a thank you enough?  
  
It appeared not as she walked pass him to look outside the window.  
  
"Um...anything else, Miss Hepburn?" he said brisquely.   
  
She turned around and then kissed him. The kiss was cloying and sweet, like a drug. Duo was fighting the urge to keep his lips locked with hers yet another side of him was actually enjoying it. Damn, Maureen just had to be such a good kisser, didn't she?  
  
"God, you are so hot," she said between kisses. "I want you."  
  
It could have been a turn on. But he couldn't see straight...couldn't think straight. Her kisses were like a drug he couldn't shake off.   
  
She was about to move further when the vid comm chimed.   
  
~*End of Chapter*~  
Hmm...r&R! 


	10. The Beginning of the End

yay! the next chapter...my muse is back! r&r!  
  
~The Beginning of the End~  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: New Washington, North America  
Maureen sighed audibly.  
  
Duo pulled himself away from Maureen's clasp and staggered to the vid comm. He was out of breath from the rushed kiss as he sighed, accepting the vid call. He gingerly touched his lips to see ruby red lipstick.At first, he panicked as he wiped off the lipstick from his lips; was it Hilde checking up on him? How was he going to explain himself this time? The vid screen appeared to be terrified Quatre with a white bandage wrapped around his skull.  
  
"Quatre!" Duo cried. "What the hell happened to you?"  
  
"Long story," he replied tersely. "Anyways, look, I've contacted Trowa in Nova San Juan. We have a big situation that you should be aware of. You see, I was on tail with a suspicious man, probably a terrorist. The next thing I know, Trowa's counterpart, Andie, calls saying that a warhead is headed straight towards the coasts of Virgina in ETA three hours."  
  
"No crap," Duo muttered. This was right up his alley.  
  
Quatre blinked at his shocked friend."I'm not joking, Duo," Quatre said wearily, "This is serious. Trowa has contacted all the Atlantic coast countries and are trying to figure out something right now. You must do something. Inform the President. Inform Preventers. Right now, we got half of the fleet busy trying to help. Preventer Po is busy in Africa trying to figure out a way to block the trajectory coast. You don't have a lot of time."  
  
Mission accepted---no choice this time around.   
  
Duo nodded gravely. "Understood. Keep in touch, Duo out." He terminated the transmission, then scanned if anyone bugged the line. Sighing with relief, he turned around. To his shock, Maureen was still there. She leaned over and kissed him passionately again, resuming what was going on before the transmission intercepted.  
  
Duo desperately pulled himself away from her, feeling guilty.  
  
Maureen blinked, as if she knew nothing. "Duo?"  
  
"I have to go...now." As he went to get his coat again, he was deep in thought. I have to stop this forsaken warhead from destroying North America, he thought. Damn, this is just great. Perfect timing. He stole a quick glance at Maureen, who was standing there, dumbfold. Mission objective; save North America and stay away from Mau---Preventer Hepburn.  
  
  
Location: Siberia, Russia  
Slam! The man was thrown against the wall, hard. He landed onto a garbage can and toppled over it like a piece of trash. The man groaned as he slumped at the wall, only to be picked up again by none other than Heero Yuy.  
  
"Answer my question," Heero hissed, "you said you saw them. Where did they go?" When the man did not respond, Heero added coldly, "You are doing them nothing by not saying anything. I will find them and save my friend. Either way...they lose."  
  
"Nyet," he man spat raggedly. "I will never say anything."  
  
Heero sneered at the man's incompetence. Then again, he admired his stubborness not to give in, but Heero wasn't going to give up now because he admired a man. This man might be working with the terrorists and holding Relena hostage...he was determined to get Relena back.  
  
At all costs.  
  
Heero scoffed as he punched the man again. "Dammit, this is the last time I am warning you!" he shouted, fustrated. He never heard himself this fustrated before. Nor this angry. "I am looking for my friend. You saw the guys who took her. Now tell me...WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY?!" The last words came out so hard and so angry, the words echoed down the silent alleys.  
  
Even the man was startled.   
  
And frightened.  
  
He trembled as if...  
  
"Don't you dare," Heero warned icily, his grip still tight around the man's collared shirt, which stank in odoured sweat. He tried hard not to scrunch up his nose in the foul stench. "You better answer my question...I'll give you five seconds and then I'll simply eliminate you just like all the others..."  
"There...there were others?" the man stammered.  
  
Heero smiled cryptically. "Oh yes, about...hmm...twenty?"  
  
"Tw-twenty?"  
  
"Yes...and you will be victim number twenty-one," Heero stated thinnly.  
  
"Y-You're lying," the man accused, trembling.  
  
Heero shook his head with a dramatic sigh. "Am I?" he asked. He tightened his grip on the man. "Hmm..let's see. I was a former Gundam pilot who was a prime target of the Romefeller Foundation, White Fang and Oz. I was subjected to critical testing during my upbringing to become the perfect soldier. I can handle any kind of gun and hunt down even the most unsuspicious of people. Why? Because...I am trained to be a soldier." He cocked his head to one side. "Now...five...four..."  
  
"Y-You're bluffing between your teeth!" the man spat.   
  
"Three...two...o---"  
  
The man squirmed. "Dammit, alright! Alright, I'll tell you where the hell they went!" His voice barely came out as a strained whisper.   
  
"Mikhayl...they...came around a couple of days ago, asking me for some tickets out to the old Oz control tower out west. I...I asked them why...and...and they said they had someone with them, some important girl..."  
Heero's lips tightened, remembering the location clearly. "Did you see her?"  
"Th...The girl?" The man shook his head frantically. "Noooo...never saw."  
  
"For a reward...you can live...for now." Heero released his clasped grip on the man, making him fall down to the cement ground, rear first. The man winced, groaned, about to complain when he saw Heero's penetrating glare. "Mess with them...or me...and you'll wish I had killed you in the first place."  
  
"Da," the man said fratically. "Da."  
  
Heero turned around and started to walk away, grinning cryptically. Maybe if I did this bad-persona attitude go on, he thought, I just might get through terrorists like him. That was a hell of a good bluff...let's just hope it'll be to my advantage in the future...  
  
  
Location: Nova San Juan, South America  
"You okay, Trowa?" Andie asked, handing him a warm mug of coffee.  
  
"No," Trowa replied indifferently, focused on the computer screen.  
  
Andie placed the warm mug on a coaster and retrieved the empty one. That made twelve empty mugs of coffee. She looked at him, clearly worried as she stated, "I brought you some coffee." Seeing no reaction in his concentration, she added, "What are you doing?"  
  
"I am running through alternative tactical strategies to avert the warhead from its current trajectory," Trowa replied flatly. "So far, I have made over three hundred possibilities and strategies."  
  
"And...?"  
  
"Not a single one will avert the trajectory," he concluded in fustration, slamming the consol. "Each one of them resulted in either destruction of the entire west coast for both continents, deaths of millions or the destruction of the entire planet itself."  
  
Andie blew out a breath. "Damn."  
  
"I will find a way," Trowa assured defiantly. "I will find an alternative."  
"That's just it, Trowa," Andie said sadly, "what if you don't? I mean, would you be prepared to give up the coast of North America for the world? Or would you let the whole world suffer the fate of the North American East Coast?" She looked at him tenderly, with a glimmer of sadness.  
  
The thought had already occurred to him, a long time ago. He swallowed, looking up to her. "I will give up my life if it will save the millions who live on the coasts," he told her.   
  
Andie touched his shoulder gently. "And I will be beside you."  
  
~End of Chapter~ 


	11. Suspicions Arise

yes, things are rising through the roof now. r&r!  
  
~Suspicions Arise~  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: Siberia, Russia  
Relena finally got it.  
  
She found the mechanism that would release the hatch of her confined cell. She was sitting on come cold floor in the cell, levels below the surface in some abandoned Oz control center. How long she had been in there, she did not know and what was going outside, she did not know.   
  
She did know that she had to escape this cell.  
  
Relena squinted, holding the bobby pin upright in the mecahnism, trying to hit it. She had a long splinter from the side of her cell to be used for a weapon...if it come to that. She had contemplated for a long while whether to use it as a weapon, but she realized she had no choice.  
  
She would have to fight if she were to get out.   
  
She had no choice anymore.  
  
Heero...  
  
Click. Click. Clank.  
  
That didn't sound right. Or was it?  
  
The door slowly creaked towards her. It was open! She had opened the door by herself! She felt so proud! But the feeling diminished as she heard a muffle outside, making her grab her stick for a staff and stagger back. She told herself that she would not hurt anyone, just knock them unconscious and make a run for it.   
  
"What the hell---?" came a voice from beyond.   
  
Relena braced herself as the door opened halfway. She pushed herself back, her heel back enough so she was in an attack position. She concentrated on the movements, something she had been practicing since her kidnap.   
  
Bootheels...thump...thump...towards her cell...  
  
"Um...you okay, Miss?" A head of a guard popped up.  
  
Relena swung the staff from behind, the end slamming upward to the guard's chin, making his eyes roll back and crashing to the floor, blacking out completely in that one swift stroke. Relena looked at the body, then the staff, musing about how well the self-defense classes had paid off.   
  
Relena swallowed dryly at the fallen body, thinking what to do. Then she pulled the body in and searched the body quickly. She found a revolver and some extra bullets in some compartments. Without hesitation, she grabbed it; it was so much better than a wooden...thing.  
  
She checked the gun. It was loaded.   
  
This is so totally going against all that I believe in, she thought as she walked out the door, gun at hand, staff in the other, ready to make her escape in the dark.  
  
  
Location: Beijing, China  
Preventer Mitchell Sang was at the vid consol that morning, holding his fifth cup of coffee. He had not slept well the night before and morning was just around the bend for him. he was not particularly in a good mood. "...you absolutely positive, Mr. Winner? Absolutely positive?"  
  
"Yes, Preventer Sang. I am certain. I have two of my counterparts working at the Americas trying to avert the trajectory course. Sir...we only have less than two hours. We need help from all the preventers from around the globe in order to help them. Please..."  
  
Sang nodded stiffly. "I will inform Chang," he replied briskly. "You have the full support of China, Mr. Winner."  
  
"One last thing..."  
  
  
"Wufei!"  
  
Sang bolted the door down and stomped in. He had no patience in him left to give to the kid; the kid was being stubborn. Well, two can play that game. And he was really good at what he did.  
  
The room was scraped clean. Nothing was to be seen.  
  
"Dammit...he's gone!"  
  
  
Location: New Richmond, Virginia  
"Duo, wait!"  
  
Duo turned from some schematics from a fellow preventer on a bridge to see none other than Maureen Hepburn running towards his position. She wore the skirt uniform with a beige trench coat to top it. The sky was a muggy gray and rain had already drizzled earlier.   
  
He sighed inwardly; another situation.  
  
He breathed. "Preventer Hepburn! Shouldn't you be at the office...???"  
She huffed for breath as she brushed a strand of blonde hair back. Her hair was slightly damp from the rain. Her blue eyes flashed at his. "Duo...Duo... tell me, why are you avoiding me?"  
  
Duo laughed nervously, scratching his head. "Me? Ignore you? Yah right!" The truth was, he really was avoiding her.  
  
She frowned. "Duo, have I done something wrong?" She pouted.  
  
He felt his heart move, making him unusually guilty. What is there to be guilty of? he scolded himself. You are devoted to Hilde...you can't just give her up now. Dammit, Duo, what kind of mess have you gotten into. He straightened. "No, nothing. Go back to work. We have an ETA of 1.5 hours before that warhead comes into visual."  
  
"Duo..."  
  
"Preventer Maxwell!"  
  
Duo turned around to see a tall middle-aged man walk up to him in the finest garments. His weathered face didn't stop from his brilliant green eyes to dart back and forth, as if watching his own back. He stood face to face with Duo; the man was about a head taller than him!   
  
"Sir...?"  
  
"Greg Nasedo, chief of staff. Report."  
  
Duo gave a sly grin. "Well, since we have an ETA of 1.5 hours before the warhead comes into view, I asked your boys to gather up some old mobile suits from below deck...you know...the ones you've been keeping there for goodness knows when---"  
  
"Fool! You were not meant to go in there!" Greg Nasedo boomed.  
  
Duo's eyes widened.  
  
Hepburn flinched as did other preventers.  
  
Duo didn't falter as he looked straight up to the pissed chief of staff. "Look here, buddy," he snapped, "I don't care if you're the king of the world or head of the barber shop...we've got about an hour or so to get our brains together and prevent the east coast from being annihilated completely. So if you don't wanna get dirty, sit back and let people like me take the front stage!"  
  
Nasedo was furious. Incredibly furious. He stormed off.  
  
Maureen stormed up to Duo got up and slapped him. Hard.   
  
"Ow! What the hell was that for!" he cried indignantly.  
  
She narrowed his eyes at him, the blue eyes as cold as a blizzard. "Listen up, Maxwell," she snapped coldly, "I told you before not to mess paths with Greg Nasedo. He's suspicious. He's also an ass and has been part of some damned cover-up...pissing him off just made him suspicious of you..."  
  
"Damn, I have enough of this hide-and-seek business," Duo shot back. "I was a Gundam pilot. I fight. I don't disguise myself as some tip-top goody-two-show Preventer...I am the GOD OF DEATH!"  
  
Maureen was about to yell again, but instead ran off.  
  
Duo cocked his head to a side, his brows raised. "What got her so emotional?" he wondered out loud, then burrowed in thought. "Why did he say "You were not meant to go in there"?"  
  
  
~*End of Chapter*~ 


	12. Secrets Revealed

here's my 12th chapter...i'm almost done. ^^  
  
Secrets revealed  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: Siberia, Russia  
"ETA of impact, Number Two?"  
  
Number Two cleared his throat. "One point five hours, sir---orders?"  
  
"None, at the moment," he replied pleasantly.   
  
"Aye---"  
  
A man rushed into the room, breathless.  
  
"Yes, man?" Number Two demanded harshly.  
  
"The...the prisoner..."  
  
"Dorlian?"  
  
"Yeah, that one...she escaped..."  
  
"WHAT?!" Number One roared. "Send back up! Get teams out there! How the hell she got out, I don't know..."  
  
"Her Gundam friends," Number Two muttered.  
  
"You idiot!" Number One roared at his second officer. "You were in charge of all this! How could you let her get away, our only means to negotiate something!" He scoffed huffily. "Nonetheless, you have one more chance to redeem yourself. FIND THE GIRL!!!!"  
  
"Yes sir," Number Two shuffled.  
  
  
Relena found herself at the outer corridors of the station. She was right; ir was an abandoned Oz military lookout station, situated deep within Siberia, where is was snowing iceballs. She fought the cold that she could feel prickling her skin and weakening her bones...but she refused to back down. She had to get away from this hell...if it was the last thing she'd do...  
Clutching the pistol with her frozen hand, she shuffled through the corridor.  
  
"Hey! There she is!"  
  
Relena turned around. Guards!  
  
She fluttered down the corridors quickly. She heard gunshots being fired directly at her. She dodged towards a branch of the corridor, hiding at the edge and shooting back, missing any vital part of the body.   
  
Boom! Boom! Arm, leg, gone.  
  
She turned around quickly and started running again. She could hear voices, lots of voices, yelling and snapping orders. She continued to run blindly, each time skirtting outward and outward.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
She turned around. More men! She cursed beneath her breath, shot and then started running towards the other end. More men were coming around the front bend, and she only had left and right to choose from. The men were marching. Relena tried shooting, but she was out of bullets.  
  
The man at the head smiled. He had hair that was shaved close to his skull, and his eyes were a burning green. He had a fairly nasty scar cutting through his right cheek and the lid of his left eye. He smiled with a sick, twisted sense as he revealed a fairly nasty looking pistol. "Wrong move, Dorlian," he said. It was the guy who "greeted" her when she arrived at the post!  
  
Relena took a step back, and a soldier took a step forward. They were gaining closer and closer---should she shoot her way out or die as a pacifist martyr? Both ways didn't sound very appealing at the moment.  
  
Suddenly, a hand popped out and grabbed Relena's arm harshly, dragging her towards the left corridor. Relena's breath was taken away as she made her escape with the stranger down the corridor, the baffled voices remaining behind her.  
  
The stranger made another curved turn before grabbing Relena tightly close to him and peered back, checking if there was anyone following them. The stranger wore a black mask and a black suit, warm enough to withstand the harsh Siberia winter yet comfortable enough to fight. He had a gun on the belt hoop and some other familiar weaponry.   
  
"Who are you?" she said dryly.  
  
He turned back to her and pulled off the mask.   
  
"Heero!" she squeaked. "Am I so glad to see you!" She wrapped her arms around him and planted a soft kiss on his lips. He accepted it gladly and returned the kiss.   
  
He was the first to break the kiss. "We better get moving," he told her.   
  
"Save the greetings till after we clear from this place."  
  
"Right," she nodded.  
  
He pointed to the gun. "You're a pacifist."  
  
"I had to defend myself," she stated defensively, gripping the pistol.  
  
He shrugged and tugged her hand. "This way," he told her. "The hatch is this way." Without another word, he dragged her with him.   
  
  
Location: New Richmond, Virginia  
"Trowa! What are you doing here?" Duo called as he ran in the rain towards Trowa and Andie. He brushed back the tendrils from his hair and gave a wary look. "Don't worry, we sort of got things under control---just pray that Quatre found something."  
  
Trowa was passive about it.  
  
Duo raised an eyebrow at him. "Y'know, I think I'm the only one talking."  
  
Andie stepped forward. "I am Andie Rodriguez," she introduced. "The preventer assigned to help Trowa with the investigation in South America. Trowa is a bit...worried about this entire situation, which is why we came here. We are here to help."  
  
"Gee, thanks, Miss," Duo said, his mouth twitching for a smile.  
  
Andie gestured to the mobile suits that lined up the coastline, staring into the Atlantic Ocean. The rain stopped dropping, her long dark hair now played by the wind. "What are all these doing here?"  
  
"Oh! That," Duo said, his expression darkening. "I found this chamber not far from here with these mobile suits inside. I figured they weren't destroyed after Mariameia's reign of terror so I took them out. A little out of date, but I figured we might as well used them---if they have any effect with the warhead." He shrugged.  
  
"Who hid this?" Trowa asked, who was watching the gigantic suits.  
  
Duo turned to him. "This guy, the head of the Headquarters here...Nasedo. Greg Nasedo."  
  
Trowa turned around. "You have to stay away from him!" he warned.  
  
Duo staggered back, hands up. "Whoa, boy!" he croaked. "Hey, it ain't my fault. I haven't dealt with him...well, only a short while ago. he was mighty pissed when he found out that I found these and set them up along the coasts. Then my partner, Maureen Hepburn, she got ticked off as well. I think it's something they ate," he concluded.   
  
Trowa frowned. "This is bad news. Really bad."  
  
Duo cocked his head to one side. "Why?"  
  
Trowa turned his eyes to his comrade. "Because Greg Nasedo used to work for Dekim Barton."  
  
  
Location: Siberia, Russia  
Number One was packing, packing to get the hell away from his men, from this post, from his problems.   
  
Thump!   
  
He whirled around. "W-Who's there?" he demanded.  
  
A man stepped forward. "Coward," he spat at the man. "You make others do your dirty work and yet lead nothing. You are less than a human, and I will bring down justice and righteousness with the spirit of Nataku."  
  
The man gasped. "Gundam fighter number 5..."  
  
Chang Wufei smiled. "The one and only."  
  
  
~*End of Chapter*~ 


	13. Allies and Enemies

Yes, it's almost done....^^  
  
~Allies and Enemies~  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: New Richmond, Virgina  
"Preventer Hepburn!" Duo hollered.  
  
Hepburn, who was talking to a couple of preventers, excused herself and swayed her way towards Duo, her long blonde hair down and her stormy eyes matching the mood of the moment. Her heels clipped as she walked along the wooden plank.   
  
"Yes, Duo?" she asked coldly.   
  
"This Trowa Barton and his assosiate, Preventer Rodriguez," he told her.  
  
"We've met," Hepburn said curtly.   
  
Andie's eyes went stone cold at Hepburn.  
  
Duo contined, taking note of Andie's sudden attitude change and Hepburn's silent venom. "They are at my assistance. Trowa will stay here and hold down the fort like he does best while we hunt down Nasedo."  
  
"But Nasedo's hard to track down," Hepburn pointed out stiffly.  
  
Duo glanced at him. "Note taken, Preventer," Duo replied quickly. "But I wanna have a chat with him. Trowa? You contact me if anything suspicious comes up, alright?" he called his friend, who was standing at the edge of the plank and looking out towards the sea.  
  
Trowa said nothing and continued to look at the ocean.  
  
"Good ol' Trowa," Duo remarked. "Andie? Let's go."  
  
Hepburn grunted and followed after Duo and Andie.  
  
  
Location: Siberia, Russia  
Boom! Boom! Boom!  
  
Heero and Relena were thrown onto the deck of the station as explosions reeked from behind them. Heero got up and helped Relena to her feet as they continued to run down the corridor.   
  
"This...this is...nuts!" Relena gasped.  
  
"Tell me about it," Heero replied. "Turn here!"  
  
They turned around, to find the corridor filled with smoke as bulkheads from above had collapsed to block their path. Flames erupted from the bulkheads, making it almost impossible to breathe or see.  
  
"Now what?" Relena asked.  
  
Footsteps.  
  
"Damn," Heero cursed. "Relena, stay behind me!"  
  
Relena scampered behind him, as Heero readied his gun, then peered from the corner. He steadied his gun and started firing. A shoot out had begun. Relena stayed behind him, absently grabbing onto Heero's free arm as she prayed that they'd get out alive.   
  
Suddenly, it was silent.   
  
"It's over," Heero said softly to her ear. "Let's go."  
  
She nodded and walked a step behind him. Around her were bodies.   
  
"I'm sorry I had to do that," he muttered.  
  
She looked at him sympathetically. "You're the soldier, Heero.   
  
I'm...nothing."  
  
He glanced at her. "You are a special person, Relena. Don't doubt yourself because of who I am," he told her. "I wouldn't be able to live feeling that I was the cause of your downfall. You are special...to me..."  
  
Her eyes lighted up. "Really?"  
  
"Aww...how sweet, the lovebirds..." said a voice.  
  
Both of them whirled to see the same man who was leading the troops a while back standing, gun out. "Happy to see me, kiddos?" he mocked. "I hate to interrupt your romantic moment, but I have a schedule to keep. 11 am, kill the kids. 11:15, watch fireworks come alive at the new World!" He laughed harshly.  
  
"Stand back, Relena," Heero said. "Things will get ugly here."  
  
"Be careful, Heero," Relena told him encouragingly, standing back.   
  
"Yeah, Dorlian, things'll get ugly," the man mocked, "as I slit his throat!"  
Heero glared at him. "I think you're mistaken!" He then launched a quick set of jabs and crosses at him. It caught him by surprise as he tried to duck the jabs and crosses. The last punch slammed him square at the cheekbone, making him faulter back.   
  
"Ass," he spat. "Now I pound you!" He set a lazy jab and cross with strenght. Heero easily dodged it as his fist slammed into the wall. Heero then spun and executed a swift spin-hook kick to his chest and then a good side kick to his back, sending him crashing to the wall.   
  
"Game over," Heero stated, walking back to Relena.  
  
"I don't think so---" He raised his gun.  
  
Heero turned around and raised his gun, firing. The bullet slammed into his right side of his chest, making him drop to the floor, unconscious.  
  
"He'll live," Heero stated. "Let's go."  
  
"Right."  
  
Slam. Slice. Swish.  
  
"Justice will be served!" Wufei yelled as he yanked his sword out of the table and aimed another cut towards Number One.  
  
"Think again, brat!" He blocked the move with his sword.   
  
"Aaarrrrghgggghhhh!" He leaped at him, sword out.  
  
Slam! He blocked the move again.  
  
Wufei was getting annoyed. Very annoyed. The man was aging, yet his reflexes were still sharp. How was that? he wondered. Nonetheless, I must beat him! He unleashed a set of moves against the powerful man, his sword out and ready to draw blood.  
  
Number One was faster; he sped across the blade, hand out, and slammed him hard on the face. Wufei staggers back as Numebr One continues to lash out with an array of kicks and punches. Wufei couldn't see for the actions were blurred. He slammed onto the solid floor, blood seeping from his wounds.   
Number One drew his sword. "Now...die an honourable death."  
  
Wufei lifted something from his belt. "You first," he groaned, pulling the key and throwing the bomb at Number One before staggering to his feet and running towards the window.   
  
"Wha...wha...NOO!!!"  
  
Wufei jumped out the window at the same time the bomb went off.  
  
He crashed onto the snow, the cold numbing his wounded body.  
  
"Chang?"  
  
He looked up to see Heero and Relena staggering over.  
  
Relena dropped to her knees. "He's covered in scrapes and wounds."  
  
Heero looked around. "I have my plane a couple of miles from here," he told them. "Relena, help me carry Wufei there."  
  
  
Location: New Richmond, Virginia  
"Mr. Nasedo..." Duo called, "oh, Mr. Nasedo...where are you?..."  
  
Andie turned to Duo from another corner of the basement of the barrack where he found the mobile suits. "He's not here either, Maxwell," she said dryly, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Are you sure he went this way?"  
  
"I bet my life on it," Duo replied nobly. "Where's Hepburn?"  
  
Andie darted a serious glance at Duo. "I wouldn't worry if I were you."  
  
"Why?" he asked curiously.   
  
"I have heard of Preventer Hepburn," she replied, walking up to the curious fighter. "We entered the acadamy of training at the same time. She was a good student, a proud one as well. Anyways, during the time I was stationed at Tunisia with her, something happened. She was uncovered to be a spy amidst Preventers, for where, she would not say. She was kicked out of Preventers for being a mole and lying to us. I did not know she had returned."  
  
"So she was a mole," he mused. "Do you think---"  
  
"---she could be working for Greg Nasedo? Possibly," she conceded, clasping her hands behind his back. "She'd do anything to snag some information from anyone...including you."  
  
"What? Me?" Duo asked, baffled. "C'mon, what would she try to get from me?"  
  
"Please, Maxwell," Andie scoffed, "don't tell me she hasn't worked her charm on you. She's sexy. She's sassy. She'll use her own sexuality to get to your brains and stir 'em before she takes a look inside."  
  
Duo flushed. "Well, she has made some moves---"  
  
"And?"  
  
"I stopped her, of course! I'm happy with my girlfried!"  
  
Andie stepped back. "I see."  
  
They heard a gun click from their right. They turned around to see Greg Nasedo accompanied by Maureen Hepburn. And she held a gun straight at them.  
  
  
~End of Chapter~  
What do you think? R&R! 


	14. Bomb Go Boom

It's...well...almost done. I sorta got into a hurry mode and well, here it is. The final chapter is almost up where it'll cover most of the loose ends that I've left hanging...as well as leaving some open for your imagination...  
  
~Bomb Go Boom~  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: New Richmond, Virginia  
"Mr. Barton!" an officer called from some controls behind a mobile suit. "The bomb is coming within vicinity grid 24 by 47!"  
  
Trowa whirled around, tapping on the head set. "Okay, squad 7, proceed with the attack pattern Omega," he ordered emotionless, brushing his hair back, his stormy eyes casted out to the sea. "Your mission objective is to thrust the warhead upward, or away from the coastline, but be warned that if you shoot it anywhere else other than above, other countries would be in threat. Understood?"  
  
"Yes, sir," they chimed.  
  
Trowa nodded empathically."Godspeed."  
  
"Thank you, sir," they chimed.   
  
Trowa sighed as he watched seven mobile suits skid their way off towards the horizon, where the continent's peril awaits them. Succeed, and fame shall be theirs as well as the safety of the millions of people who live on the continents. Fail, and everything perishes. Yes, the risk was right there.  
  
He then remembered what Andie was telling him...  
  
He turned and ran towards a mobile suit nearby, its occupant perched on top. With three swift and quick jumps, he pulled the officer off the suit with him protesting before entering the suit.   
  
"I will do everything I can to stop that warhead," he muttered to himself as he took off from the coast, "even if it means giving up my life for them all..."  
  
  
"You were a bad girl all along, Maureen, huh?" Duo asked seriously, his hands on his hips. "Geez, I should've known...things just didn't add up with you...and what you did to me back at the apartment? Ha ha, nice excuse to pry me away from the thing I loved the most..."  
  
Hepburn grunted, smiling. "You didn't fall for it like other men did."  
  
Oh, that set him off. Duo was about to lash out at her if Andie didn't come between them. "I am not like other men!" he shouted angrily at Hepburn, who had a stupid look on her face. "I am the GOD OF DEATH!"  
  
Hepburn laughed. "Yeah, like I believe that!"  
  
"Stop playing with them, with him, Maureen," Greg Nasedo snapped, waving his hand insistently at the anxious ex-Preventer. "We have better things to do that play with these Preventer scum."  
  
"Scum?!" Duo cried incredulously. "Speak for yourself, old man."  
  
Greg Nasedo smiled with pleasure at Duo. "Really, fighter?" he asked smoothly. "Unlike my anxious little buck of a cooperative here, I do not toy with my victims' emotions. After all, they are on the edge of death, so no use of torturing them even more, huh?"  
  
"Go to hell," Duo spat.  
  
"I am in hell," Nasedo countered calmly. "Sweet, huh?"  
  
Duo rolled his eyes. There's no end to the madness!  
  
Andie narrowed her eyes in anger. "You are a terrorist."  
  
"I am, ain't I?" he asked, amused. "The entire idea was supposed to make the entire continent panic with chaos and give in to us and destroy the entire foundation of the Peace Ministry."  
  
"By eradicating the head, Dorlian?" Duo sneered.  
  
"Exactly," Nasedo complied, walking about. "Then again, we also knew that you Gundam boys wouldn't stand back and watch one of their...innocence...be taken like that. Ahhh...we had so little time and so many things to deal with." He shook his head. "No more idol chit chat. Time to face your Maker and then get the hell out of this place. Wouldn't want to be here when it blows."  
  
"Dry humour," Duo pointed out flatly. "How enchanting."  
  
Nasedo gestured towards Hepburn. "Kill them."  
  
Hepburn smiled, clicking the pistol. "With pleasure."  
  
Andie stepped back. "Got any birght ideas?"  
  
Duo smiled ueasily. "I was hoping you do."  
  
"Then we are doomed," Andie groaned.   
  
Duo sighed, jabbing his hands in his pockets when he felt something hard hit his hand. It was round; yes! It was a grenade. He had armed himself with a couple of toys before leaving to New Richmond, in case trouble had emerged. It appeared he was right.   
  
"Andie," he whispered, "on the count of three, duck for cover, alright?"  
  
She blinked in confusion. "Right."  
  
"One..."  
  
"Say sayonara, Duo," Hepburn cooed.   
  
"...two..."  
  
"I don't think so, Hepburn," Duo replied, smiling.   
  
"Huh?" she grunted, confused.  
  
He grinned again. "Three!" At the corner of his eyes, Andie ran and dodged for cover behind some metal cartons as he pulled the key of the grenade and threw it at Hepburn and Nasedo. He then ran for cover as it set off, the explosion ringing their ears.   
  
"Run, run, run!" Duo shouted, as he pulled out a hidden gun.   
  
"Now you tell me you're armed!" Andie gasped.   
  
"Part of the job, Ms. Rodriguez!" Duo panted.   
  
  
"Mr. Barton."  
  
Trowa made his way straight towards the incoming warhead in the suit.   
  
"Mr, Barton, please respond."  
  
Trowa threw the headset aside and concentrated hard. The clock was ticking. On a secondary screen, he read they had only five minutes. He looked around the warhead. The suits he had ordered to send out and intercept were scattered about the waters, exhausted from their trials.  
  
He opened a transmission to the others. "Report."  
  
"The warhead...it won't...stop..."  
  
"Did it change it's trajectory?" Trowa asked.   
  
"No...sir...I'm...sorry."  
  
Trowa pressed his lips together.  
  
I will succeed where others have fallen...  
  
He tapped at the controls, making the suit move right in an intercept course with the warhead's trajectory. Once the flight matched the trajectory of the warhead, he braced himself for the impact. He could brace himself onto the warhead and shoot it upward with himself still hanging on, until it explodes.  
He would meet his ultimate demise.  
  
But he would sacrifice his life for them.  
  
He told Andie he would if it ever came to it.  
  
Nonetheless.  
  
"Sir? Sir, what are you doing?"  
  
Trowa lifted a finger and severed transmission.   
  
The warhead was on a fast velocity approach. The sensors picked it up almost immediately as it came to his eye view. He switched his modes, preparing himself for the brace. The computer initiated a countdown sequence as the warhead hurled towards him.  
  
Impact on five...four...  
  
I'm sorry, Catherine, he thought sadly. This would break her heart. He had promised he'd return...now he would return in a casket...  
  
Three...two...  
  
Suddenly, the warhead simply dropped from its orbit and crashed into the ocean without so much of a thud. He could see the warhead sink deeper and deeper into the depths and onto the ocean floor. He was shocked; he was at the edge of death.  
  
Suddenly, a screen appeared at a secondary screen and he saw Quatre's smiling face. "Hey, Trowa," he greeted in a giddy mode. "Sorry to shock you like that, but I found a remote that can terminate the warhead's trajectory."  
  
Trowa blew out a sigh of relief.  
  
  
*End of Chapter*  
Poor Trowa. What do you think? R&R! 


	15. My Home is Here

~My Home is Here~  
*Force of the Future*  
  
Location: New Richmond, Virginia  
"I've finished speaking to the second in command to Greg Nasedo," Zechs said, walking over to where the five gundam pilots stood near the ocean coast. Relena and Andie were with them, tending to their wounds. Relena, Heero and Wufei arrived an hour after Quatre and they all gathered. "He says that Nasedo will be taken under the juristiction of the Preventers and will be brought to a fair trial."  
  
"Including Hepburn?" Duo asked.  
  
Zechs nodded. "Even her, Maxwell. Well done, everyone."  
  
Trowa faced Quatre. "I thought there was no mechanism for the warhead."  
  
"I thought so, too," Quatre replied. "I started lurking around again and followed that guy again...the same guy that knocked me out. I was led to some secluded part of the town, and then I realized that there was a bunch of them. Apparently, my helper, Rafdah, belongs to this group of fanatical political fraction opposed to this peace union."  
  
"I see," Relena said softly.   
  
He nodded. "Anyways, I followed Rafdah home when I sort of...well, threatened him to get me to the control room," Quatre continued. "So, I had to knock him out and get his clothes before venturing in."  
  
"That was risky," Wufei pointed out glumly.  
  
Quatre shrugged. "I had to. I found it, after fighting my way in."  
  
Duo smiled. "Great job, Quatre. Welcome to the club!"  
  
"He is in the club, Duo," Trowa said softly.  
  
"I know," Duo replied quickly, "I just had to say something.  
  
"You always have something to say," Heero remarked.  
  
"Not all the time," Duo said defensively.   
  
"All the time, Duo," Heero replied darkly.  
  
"Don't toy with me, Heero!" Duo snapped.  
  
"You started it," Heero shot back.  
  
Relena rolled her eyes. "You two sound like two kids arguing over a toy."  
  
"We're not little kids!" they snapped in unison.  
  
"They really are passionate about it," Andie remarked softly.   
  
Relena giggled, the straightened. "Miss Noin!"  
  
The gang turned to see Noin walking slowly towards them with Zechs behind her for support, one arm around her. She wasn't in her Preventer uniform as she smiled. "Hello, people," she greeted warmly. "I wanted to congratulate you all on a job well done!"  
  
"Thanks, Noin," Trowa replied.   
  
"It was nothing," Wufei said hotly.   
  
"Are you alright, Miss Noin?" Andie asked, concerned.  
  
"I'm okay," Noin said, smiling softly. "Thank you." She turned to Duo. "Duo, I have a visitor you might want to see."  
  
Duo's eyebrows went up. "Oh?"  
  
"Duo!" Hilde ran from behind Noin and Zechs and into Duo's arms.   
  
"Hilde!" he laughed. "How...why...what..."  
  
"Where and who," she finished, smiling. "I missed you! I came to check up on you when I saw Noin and Zechs here as well. So I decided to stick with them till I get to see you!"  
  
He laughed again. "Aw, Hilde, am I glad to see you!" He smiled down at her glassy eyes. "Hilde, I think this experience has taught me a lot about me, about us. I just want to tell you that there'll never be anyone other than you. I promise."  
  
She embraced him tightly and kissed him. "Thank you, Duo."  
  
Heero approached the scowling Wufei, who was facing the sea. The sun was now peaking over the dark clouds, lighting up certain patches as though God was speaking to his people through the weather. It was a beautiful scene...if Wufei wasn't scowling.  
  
"You never told me how you winded up in Siberia," Heero rumbled.  
  
"Contacts," Wufei replied dryly, "same as you."  
  
Silence.   
  
"You lost, didn't you?"   
  
Wufei hesitated. "Maybe."  
  
Heero pressed his lips together. "I should tell you this," he said, "from soldier to soldier. Don't let that defeat get to you...you'll only cloud your judgement. Save the broken warrior output for someone worth fighting. Number One was scum...like his men. Don't be so grounded for it." He turned and walked towards the others, who was watching some people marched from a barrack nearby.   
  
"They found Mr. Nasedo and Ms. Hepburn," Zechs said.   
  
Mr. Nasedo was the first to appear, his clothes tattered and smoke crisp and his silver hair messed up and sooted. His eyes briefly met the amusing ones of Duo's and the cold ones of Andie's before the Preventers ordered him to get a move on.   
  
Hepburn was the next to appear. Her face and hair was sooted, her clothes in the same condition as Mr. Nasedo's and her face crimpled with anger. Duo ordered the men assigned to guard her to bring her over for a minute. "I'm glad you're so amused," she said frostily.   
  
"Oh, anything for an ex-partner," Duo replied, deeply amused. "Anyways, I believe you haven't met Hilde here...my girlfriend." He smiled broadly at the ex-Preventer, who glared at him, then at Hilde's innocent eyes before the Preventers pushed her on.  
  
"Duo?" Hilde said slowly. "What was that about?"  
  
He let go a breath of deep satisfaction. "I'll tell you on the way."  
  
"Trowa," Andie said, watching Hilde starting you raise her voice against the anguished Duo, "you were willing your life to save us all back there with the warhead heading for you."  
  
He shrugged. "I told you I will if it were necessary."  
  
"Only few people would actually be courageous enough to do so," she told him calmly, brushing her brown hair back. "I could be interested in someone like that..."  
  
Trowa raised a brow. "Really?"  
  
Relena looked at Heero, who was watching the episode from behind the other members. "I guess you'll be leaving again, huh?"  
  
He took her hand and held it in his, looking down at it as Relena watched in awe. Heero never showed any sign of affection before, not even a friendly one. Why the sudden change. "Not this time, Relena," he rumbled ominously. "Not this time."  
  
"Heero..."  
  
He looked at her face, his piercing blue-gray eyes looking into her colbalt blue ones. Again, she felt like he was glancing at her soul, only this time it wasn't as uncomfortable. She felt like it was completely natural for him to do so. "I've always been looking for home," he told her softly. "First here on Earth, then in the L1 colony, then in my Gundam. Now it's gone and I've been searching for my home since then. I've found it, Relena, I've found home. In you."  
  
She felt herself blush mad. "H-Heero, I..."  
  
He placed a finger on her lips. "Don't say it, Relena," he cooed. "I'm not leaving. I'm not packing and going away this time. I'm staying. And this time...it's for good." He then leaned forward, his bangs cringing over and kissed her gently on her lips.   
  
She broke the kiss and smiled at him. "Oh, Heero."  
  
"Heero Yuy!"  
  
They turned abruptly to see Zechs marching up to them, his anger uncontrollable. Noin shrugged at them from behind him, unable to keep her boyfriend's anger from lashing out at them. His anger was going to draw some casualties. "Take your dirty hands off my little sister!"  
  
"Gee, Zechs," Heero said calmly. "I think you should cool off because sometime in the near future, I'll be your brother in law."  
  
Relena giggled.   
  
"Baka-somo!" Zechs said, chasing after Heero.   
  
Quatre shrugged. "Some things just never change."  
  
  
*End of Story*  
Yay! I finally finished the story! Tell me what you think! ^^ 


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